Atrocities
by Ash The Wanderer
Summary: The sequel to Consuming Madness. A new evil emerges from the world that brought the curse of Agony. Is the greatest evil one of extraordinary birth, or is it all too human? And in the end, will there be nothing but doom...or redemption?
1. The Eternal Song of War

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Atrocities

Chapter 1: The Eternal Song of War

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"I had thought that some of nature's journeymen had made men and not made them well, for they imitated humanity so abominably."

William Shakespeare

It was the twilight of a day as Shawn Uptas went merrily about his business. His business was stealing purses.

Crouching low in the alleyway, trying to blend his body into the shadows as much as he could while still keeping himself in a position where he could maintain maximum visibility for a suitable victim. He had to be quick, the sun was about to go down. When it did, suitable prey vanished, and people who would more likely prey on _him_ would come out. That was the last thing he needed.

Shawn's eyes scanned slowly back and forth. His black hood, made of soft but durable cloth, bunched at his neck and he took a moment to smooth it out and adjust it before he went back to looking. His black sweatpants were made of the same material. Only his running shoes were white.

Shawn slowly licked his top lip, feeling sweat begin to bead in his frizzy hair. He didn't like standing in alleys while he waited for a suitable victim. All the rotting garbage and worse things gave off a wet heat that was incredibly uncomfortable to him. But he couldn't seem to hold down any other job, mainly due to the fact couldn't stand being told what to do. Thus, he did what he did. And he was fairly good at it. He could run fast and was pretty good at looking inconspicuous. The rest came with practice. It was a dangerous practice, but he could be doing worse things. In his opinion, the police knew it too. He just swiped purses and took whatever he could from them, leaving the rest. He didn't use violence. Hence, the reason he had yet to be caught. He could be classified as a bad apple, but his core wasn't rotten as it could be.

There were worse people.

And hence here he was, watching the ever-thinning crowd and getting more and more annoyed. There seemed to be a shortage of idiots these days, people who walked along with their guard down or with no guard up at all. People who thought the world was a safe place, or at least their chunk of it was. In fact, Shawn mused, he was no more of a purse thief then he was a deliverer of…well, something. Something that made people wake up and realize that the world could be very very dangerous. He just took their money. Money could be replaced. You couldn't say the same thing about mental health. Or life.

Shawn's alert eyes finally spied something. Good. While idiots seemed to be running low these days, they hadn't died out yet.

The woman that Shawn had spotted definitely seemed to be out of place. She had a stride that gave a suggestion that she wasn't walking, she was floating. She may as well have been floating for Shawn, for his eyes had immediately gone down to her feet to scope it out. Not because he liked legs, although she had some nice ones. It was to see what her running situation was. As Shawn expected, she was wearing heels, and pretty high ones. Shawn couldn't understand how she could walk in those, let alone run without hurting herself (hence the reason to him that it appeared that she was floating, she seemed to have to to be able to get anywhere in those shoes). 

Having observed and calculated that she wouldn't likely catch him herself, Shawn evaluated on how much she was likely worth. Her purse wasn't that large, but that didn't matter to Shawn. What mattered was that it had a wallet that was large.

His observations and decision were made in seconds. He would go for it.

Tanya Mirra never knew what hit her. One moment she was walking along, hoping she wasn't going the wrong way, and the next thing she knew there was a great jerk on her shoulder and her purse was gone.

Tanya gasped, even as her eyes were drawn to the movement of the man in black clothes who was running away from her. The movement drew her eyes. The fact that he had her purse in his hand held them.

"STOP HIM!" Tanya yelped, instinctively trying to give chase. She got four steps before she tripped and fell, sprawling heavily on the concrete. She made a small cry of pain as the concrete grated against the bare skin of her legs, even as her eyes filled with desperation as she watched her assilant slip away through the crowd.

"HELP! POLICE! THIEF! MY PURSE!" Tanya cried futilely, and while some passerby came to help her, it was ultimately too late. The thief was long gone.

Shawn could hear the woman's cries for assistance as he took off, her purse clutched tightly in his hands. _Sorry lady. You should actually try yelling fire, that would get you more help!_

Head down, Shawn could only see the lower part of the people he was running through, but a born-with grace and a great deal of practice allowed him to weave, almost masterfully, through the throngs of people filling the street. His speed was a great part of his success, and not just for getting away. It was also needed so that by the time people became aware of his presense, he was gone.

Still running, Shawn burst around the corner, nearly knocking a couple over in the process. He ran past them, not bothering to apologize, heading for his getaway, a flight of stairs at the end of the street that led into a subway station. What Shawn liked mostly about this particular entrance was at the bottom of the stairs were six different tunnels. And casual people had been trained by modern society to not be very observant.

Reaching the stairs, Shown hurried quickly but carefully down them, muttering "excuse mes" to the people he shoved passed so that they would just think he was in a hurry. He had long tucked the purse under his shirt, and he had learned how to hide things so they didn't look suspicious. Reaching the bottom, Shawn glanced around, then took off down the second tunnel to the left.

As he reached the end of the tunnel as it began to bleed into that part of the main station, Shawn slowed and causually glanced behind him to see if by some chance there was some kind of pursuit.

There was none. There had never been. Shawn gave a grin of saitisfaction and made his way to a train.

The sun was setting when Shawn returned to the topside of Ginger City. Shawn sighed and wiped sweat from his forehead and pushed back the hood, knowing he was in the clear. Smoothing his hair, Shawn headed into Elder Oak Park, the largest natural reserve that existed in a major city in Japan. Well, outside of Satan City that was, but it was big enough for him. Making his way through the wooded areas and man-spared plains where people flocked during the day but were abandoning by this time, Shawn finally stopped at the edge of another open area and sat down at a tree base to finally inspect his catch.

"Lessee…lipstick…tissue…lipstick stained tissue…makeup…makeup…man, why do women always bury the good stuff under these chemical wanna-be fountains of youth?" Shawn complained to himself, as he began to dump junk out of the purse. His fingers itched under his gloves, but he could scratch them later, when he didn't risk leaving prints.

Shawn's questing fingers eventually found they wanted.

"Jackpot." Shawn said, as his fingers seized around Tanya's wallet and pulled it out. Laying the purse aside, Shawn undid the snap and looked inside.

"Aw man…only a twenty? Don't tell me I went through all that…YES!" Shawn crowed to himself as he found a credit card. Then he found another, and a third.

"Ha, the purse strings are opening, literally! I'm sure I'll be able to get some early Christmas shopping done with these before she gets it through her head that she has to cancel them. Ha!" Shawn laughed, looking at one of the cards.

"Cost of police reports, god knows. Cab trip home, who cares. Multiple phone calls to deal with her problem, ya got me. The fact that I'll be on Easy Street for at least a week, priceless. Some things are beyond price, but for eveything else, there's…"Shawn began, before his nostrils twitched.

"Ugh…what is that…is something burning?" Shawn said, his eyes tearing a tad. Standing up, Shawn began to look around.

Shawn had no idea what he was smelling. Neither did he know that four years ago, a portal from another world had opened in the park he stood in now, bringing with it a terror beyond imagining. Shawn HAD perished in Agony's worldwide massacre, but he had believed Capsole Corp's cover story without question.

Shawn wasn't stupid, but even he couldn't have understood that he was standing at ground zero of where that terrible week had began.

And history was about to repeat itself, as the stench of ozone, for that was what it was, increased as a hum began to rise in the air. Shawn looked around in silent confusion.

Then he gasped in shock and fear as a sudden crackling noise filled the air and the open area was suddenly bathed in a dancing, flashing blueish-white light as a hole tore open in mid-air like the fabric of reality was made of paper. Shawn made an odd squawking noise as he fell backwards onto his rear, staring at the phenominal sight before him.

"What…what…what's going on…how…what…" Shawn stammered as he watched the crackling opening, as the light continued to pour from it and strange energies danced on its edges.

Then the light brightened, and suddenly a girl emerged. The strange squawking noise once again came from Shawn's throat as he instinctively hid behind the tree he had been sitting on moments before. But his natural desire to survive was soon overcome by his natural devil-may-care curiosity, and he peeked from behind the tree to take another look.

The girl was lovely, wearing a skin-tight red outfit with a trim, shapely body. She appeared to be human, at least to Shawn. She had black hair cut closely to her skull in a short but yet still somehow fashionable style as well.

But Shawn didn't get to look at the girl's face much longer, as the girl turned and looked apon the rip as her body set into a certain position. Shawn recognized it. It was a position of expectation. Shawn blinked.

Then the light suddenly brightened once more, and another girl emerged from the rip. Shawn blinked again as his jaw dropped. The two girls were clearly not related, but the resemblance was uncanny. The hair cut was the same, as was the outfit the two girls wore. They were even practically the same size and shape, except the new girl was somewhat fuller at the waist and hip. The two looked at each other, then turned back to the rip. Shawn's eyes looked with theirs.

More girls emerged, all of them with the uncanny resemblences in look and body language. However, the resemblence ended there, as the girls that came out were of all shapes and sizes, of different skin colours and nationalities. They all wore their hair cut short, and all wore the same skintight body outfits, abet in different sizes. Some of the girls were huge, easily reaching past 6'6 and with arms, legs, and bodies that rippled with muscle. They all entered the same way. The new arrival inspected the other girls even as they inspected her back, and then they turned back to the rip.

Then a new person emerged. And it wasn't a girl.

Shawn watched on, fascinated and horrified at the same time. A man had come out of the rip. He was a tall man, and was in as good, if not better shape then the girls that had proceeded him. He didn't wear a skin tight body outfit, but was instead clad in dark-cloured jeans, a black shirt, black shoes, and a black leather trenchcoat that swirled around him slightly as he turned back to look at the rip. But he didn't look at it in expectation. He looked at it as if he had just enjoyed something greatly. As he swirled back around, the smirk he wore confirmed it.

"Whooo! It worked! What a rush!" came floating over to Shawn, and Shawn cocked an eyebrow. It was English, abet accented English. But it was a normal, human, cockney accent, as the man ran his hands through his very closely cut blond hair and turned around to look at the girls.

"The rest are on their way, along with the rest of your galpals. Lemme tell ya thought, that trip made me hungry. It's not every day you get taken apart at a molecular level and reassembled in a whole new place and time. Is there anyone to eat around here?" the blonde man said.

The words of the blonde man washed over Shawn as he tried to comprehend them. Other place and time? Where were these people from? Heaven? The future? Somewhere else entirely?

As Shawn puzzled, even as he continued to watch, more girls emerged from the rip. They were coming quicker now, and starting to spread out. Shawn switched sides of the tree, trying to keep from being seen while trying to continue watching.

Then a new figure emerged from the rip, and Shawn wished he had simply run away, as his fascination was washed away by an overwhelming tide of horror.

This figure, or the man, if man he was, was HUGE, even bigger then the large girls who had come through the rip beforehand. He wore military fatigues, or at least the pants and boots of them. The rest of him was bare, exposing a bizzare pattern of colours, metal grey, rotting green, and a grotesque pinkish brown. Only the upper right portion of the being's face and head bore the natural pink-beige colour of "white" people, and only that allowed Shawn to even consider calling the creature a man. But he wasn't a man, it was an inhuman monster.

The creature slowly stepped away from the rip, his head slowly turning, looking around, before turning his eyes to the blonde man who had come through before him.

"So it did not destroy you, William. There are actually other worlds besides the one we come from." The monster said. The voice grated on Shawn's nerves. It was an unnatural sound, a mixture of something organic and mechanical. The sound seemed to be the personification of deviance.

"You would think that. We HAVE gone through the Gateway before, Adam. We just didn't know it at the time." The blonde who the monster had called William said.

"Correction, vampire. I knew exactly what was going on. I always do. It would be more typical of your shadow-crawling kind to not know what was going on in a light. You shun it. I half-expected the Gateway to shun you as well." The monster William had called Adam replied. A look of anger and darkness descended on the features of William. It was clear Adam's words had not made him happy.

Shawn continued to watch, although his mind screamed for him to get away before he went mad. More girls continued to emerge from the Gateway, as it had been called. Their numbers were getting quite large, approaching twenty or more. Shawn didn't even notice. His eyes were fixed on the two called William and Adam.

"Listen, you…"William began.

"Do not waste my time, vampire. You cannot win an argument with yourself, much less a god." Adam replied, his sinister voice charged with an undercurrent of disdain. "It does not matter. We are allies, unrelunctively but still so….but I don't have to think you are worthy of this."

"Let me tell you something, mate…" William began to shoot back, but then the crackling increased again and William fell silent as a woman emerged from the Gateway.

This woman was not like the other gathered around the vampire (Shawn had accepted the fact that William was one, although he didn't want to believe it) and the inhuman beast named Adam. In reality, the woman, though a picture of beauty, looked rather frail. And while the other women all had short hair, this woman had long blonde hair, combed carefully. She wore an old-fashioned dress that went down to and covered her feet. Unsteady, but still dainty, the woman stepped away from the rip, waving away some of the other women who tried to aid her. William cocked his head.

"Huh. You made it Alexia. I'm surprised." He sneered. The woman looked in annoyance at the vampire.

"I am more surprised your foul flesh made it, vampire, and for the last time, you will address me as Lady Ashford!" Alexia Ashford said curtly. William growled, but for some reason, he held back. Shawn couldn't begin to guess why, the vampire looked like he could break the woman in half with one hand.

"Oh, the high and mighty thing again, huh girly?" William sneered. "Lemme tell you something LADY, you can act like royalty, but the only thing you are is a royal pain in the…"

And then again William was interrupted, as the Gateway swelled with crackling energy. William put a hand over his eyes.

"Blasted Gateway…wish it came with a dimmer switch…" William growled.

And then the biggest figure yet emerged from the Gateway. This time, Shawn didn't even think of running away. He was rooted to the spot in fear.

If Adam was a giant, this creature was a behemoth. And this time, Shawn had no problem dubbing it a creature. While Adam looked faintly human, this creature's only resemblence to the human race was that it walked on two legs. There was nothing else in its hideously scarred flesh, nightmarish face, and a seeming aura of death and destruction that seemed to float around it that was human. To call it a he would be a blasphemy against the male part of the human race.

But Shawn was sure they would manage, so he dubbed the creature a he. It did somehow look male, but with its throbbing, crimson-pink flesh, it was impossible to know for sure. Shawn saw various parts of the creature twist and move as if the parts had a life of their own and was almost sick on the grass.

"I gotta get away…gotta warn…somebody…" Shawn said. His good intentions died alongside his desire to move when he realized that A) One of them could see him, and B) No one would believe him anyway. Hell, Shawn could barely his own eyes.

The gigantic monster fell into place behind Alexia, towering over the woman. Spike looked at the behemoth with distaste.

"I guess the gangs all here…except for Wheels…or Floaty…"

"His name is Dr. Thanatos Vagane. You would do well to use it with respect, vampire. It is he who brought us together, as much as I dislike it. But only we, together, can overcome the obstacles…to the power that will make us all gods. Including you, although why we need you if something only Vagane can see." Alexia said coldly.

"Godhood means nothing…I just want to destroy…kill, maim, and hurt…"said the giant yet unnamed monster.

"You will get your chance, Tormentor. You desire to kill will be glutted on this world of fools…a world that will make us immortal and give us total control of all…it is the lone reason I actually allied myself with Vagane. His body is frail, but his mind…his ideas…his discoveries…it may lead to a existence of a species that mirrors my perfection…a species that could spread to far greater then a lone world. If Vagane's greatly ambituous plan can actually succeed…."Adam mused, lightly stroking his chin. He was as far above humans as he could be, a god amongst mortal living beings. It occasionally disturbed him that he had thrown in his lot with the doctor known as Vagane, who was not only human, but a damaged and broken human as well. But where Vagane lacked in body, he made up for in mind. His genius far outstripped anyone's he had ever met, including his creator and "mother", Maggie Walsh. Vagane had shown him things that even HIS mind had not thought of. So for now, he would be his ally…but if Vagane showed even the slighest human weakness, Adam would have to see he remodeled the partnership. And while he was doing that, maybe he could rid himself of the annoying vampire as well.

"Plan? What plan? All he's done is spoke of bringing us here and telling us that here is the power to make us all gods. That's it! For all I know, he's going to feed us to the "mighty warriors" that supposedly inhabit this world for jollies!" William snapped, more to Alexia then at Adam.

"It truly shows you level of intelligence, "Spike", that you would let Dr. Vagane poke around in your head and turn off that chip that caused you so many problems, yet you do not trust him to deliver on his promise." Alexia replied, her tone calm but totally acidic.

William, or Spike, Shawn wasn't sure which, growled, and then to Shawn's continued shock, his face changed. The area around his nose, eyes, and lower forehead suddenly seemed to bulge out as if an extra layer of bone had been added there. If Shawn had been close enough, he would have also seen Spike's eyes retreat slightly back into his head before the whites turned a feral yellow colour. As the change happened, Spike's growl rose into a snarl as he opened his mouth, baring sharp fangs that had appeared. There was no doubt now. Spike really was a vampire.

"Listen, you bitch…"

Then there was one final surge of crackling, and three final figures emerged from the Gateway. Even through the noise, Shawn somehow heard the cool, calm male voice that spoke as it happened.

"Come now, that is enough…"

Two of the figures who had emerged from the Gateway were two more of the large group of girls that had gathered in the area. The third was a man in a wheelchair. Or more precisely, a wheelcair that had been designed to hover.

And then finally, the crackling noise faded as the rip slowly closed, finally vanishing as if it had never existed. The man in the hoverchair turned his head as if making sure, then looked back at one of the girls at his side.

"Did everything go well, Belinda?" he asked. The girl, not meeting his eyes, lowered herself to her knees, her head bowed. Shawn blinked as all the other girls followed suit.

"Yes, Master Vagane. We all made it through the Gateway. Everything is settled."

"Good." Dr. Vagane said, before drawing his eyes to Spike, Adam, Alexia, and Tormentor. "Come, my friends, we must not argue amongst ourselves. That is a human failing."

"Agreed." Said Adam. Spike didn't look happy, but slowly his face altered again, sliding back to his normal human look.

"My allies…" Vagane was saying, but Shawn had heard enough. With the rip in reality that had been called the Gateway closed, the tiny part of Shawn called common sense spoke up and told him that maybe he had better leave before he was spotted. He took one last look and turned to leave.

Only to find two pairs of eyes staring at him.

"Going somewhere?" said one of the women in the service of Vagane, a large blade that crackled with electricity in her hand as she was shadowed by one of the bigger woman holding a club of cast metal.

The wallet, long forgotten, finally fell from Shawn's fingers.

"Master!" came a voice, and suddenly the small crowd of Vagane's Valkyries parted as two of the women came towards the doctor with a third struggling figure. Vagane turned his vision from where he was speaking with his four associates, and then turned his hoverchair slightly to face the women as they dragged Shawn before Vagane and dumped him on the ground.

"Yes Catherine, Betty?" he said.

"We found this man watching us behind a tree nearby!" Catherine said quickly, keeping her head lowered. Vagane shifted his gaze to the terrified man laying in front of him, looking at him with eyes that were beginning to tear from terror.

"Please don't hurt me…I'll do anything…don't hurt me…" Shawn begged. But as he looked at the man the girls had brought him too, at his closely cut hair and slight beard streaked with grey, at the metal extensions that replaced some of his fingers, and at his utterly emotionless eyes, and he knew that mercy was probably the last thing he would receive.

"Human…I suppose you saw us enter this world, didn't you? I'd say curiosity proves be as fatal to you humans as it supposedly does for the feline species, wouldn't you say, my girls?" Vagane said, addressing the Valkyries.

"Yes master." Betty replied. Vagane's allies began to gather around his hoverchair, looking down at the young thief. Shawn got a close look at Tormentor and nearly lost his mind then and there. The reason parts of them moved like they had a mind of their own was because they DID. Twisted human heads, faces, and even the part of the upper body were attached to Tormentor's massive frame. And they were alive, as their eyes rolled, their body twitched, and their mouths constantly opened in silent screams. Tormentor's beyond cruel eyes saw Shawn looking at him, and he smiled, a mouth full of black, rotten sharp fangs. Shawn made a dim whimpering noise as he wet himself. A look of disgust crossed Vagane's features.

"Humanity. In individuals like this, it is shown just how pathetic they are. Look at him cower…disgusting." Vagane muttered. "It sickens me to think I was once part of their race."

"But…you are…" Shawn said, as even in his complete terror his logical thinking manage to pop up for a second. But then the sharp nails of one of the females standing beside him sliced into his flesh as she grabbed him violently.

"Don't even THINK you have the right to question the master, you scum!" the girl hissed, smashing Shawn's head down against the cold, rough earth. Shawn kept his head down and continued to whimper as the female withdrew her hand. Thin trickles of blood began run down the side of his face.

"Hey mate…this guy just happened along…he can't serve us in any way…whatdasay? Can I eat him?" Spike said with an eager tone. Shawn looked up just in time to see Spike's features contort and warp back into the look of a feral beast.

"No William. He has a purpose for me." Vagane said quietly. Spike look at the doctor with a combination of incredulous surprise and anger, and then with a slight growl his features shifted out of his "game face" and back to his normal good looks.

"Very well…but if I don't eat someone soon, I think I'll be forced to eat _you_, Vagane. And for the _last_ time, call me **_SPIKE!_**"

Vagane chuckled.

"Don't worry…Spike. Have patience and you will be able to gorge yourself in time. Time that we shall save some of now that we have this pathetic piece of garbage." Vagane said.

"But Vagane…you spoke of how he is a wretched human…how could he have use for us?" Adam asked. He had expected to a degree that Vagane would eventually prove he was as weak as the humans he claimed not to be a part of, but Adam hadn't thought it would be so soon.

"He? Himself? This weeping baby does have no use for me…but I can make a few changes so that he does." Vagane said. "Catherine! Betty! Restrain him!"

The girls moved in and seized Shawn's arms. Shawn's panic meter shot off the charts, and he began to struggle furiously. But the grip of the Valkyries was like iron bars and chains, and try as he might, Shawn was helpless to break their grip. Vagane punched a few buttons and a small panel slid open by his hand, offering a long syringe to the doctor. Vagane took it.

"Belinda." Vagane said, and the girl was instantly by his side. "Do it."

"NO!" Shawn shrieked as the girl moved towards him, the needle seemingly staring at him like a mavolent eye, pointing at him like an accusing finger.

"You should be grateful, you pitiful fool. Your life is a waste of creation's resources, just like the lives of all your fellow humans, a foolish sqaundering of her gifts. With this you shall become something far more useful, the first step to my ascent…your name would be spoken about for centuries…if there was anything left to record history." Vagane chuckled. His allies did the same, as Belinda reached forward. Shawn let loose one final scream before they jammed the needle into his neck.

The three girls and the surrounding Valkyries immediately backed off, as Shawn suddenly went limp and spawled downward onto the ground. A low keening sound began to come from his throat.

"Um…mate…I don't hold a million degrees in everything so might I ask, what did you inject into him? It looked like cow urine." Spike said, his features flinching slightly at the continued keening noise Shawn continued to emit.

Vagane smiled, a cruel evil smile…almost like a twisted version of a smile a father might wear if his child presented him with a drawing that had no artistic merit but was full of heart.

"While humanity is weak…their flesh and bone that their body is made up of can be surprisingly strong. And with my…talents…I can make something of that flesh…something far more useful!"

Then the keening became a snarl as Shawn reared up as the dull pegs that served as human teeth suddenly began to elongate and sharpen into a mouthful of fangs. The shirt and sweatshirt Shawn wore suddenly split and tore as his flesh turned a dark purplish-red. The skin and flesh around the tips of his fingers suddenly burst and began to peel away as razor sharp black claws emerged from each finger. Spike whistled in admiration.

"Very nice…but what is it?"

"A mutogenetic virus I developed. Look Spike…look how the marvelous creatures reshape his entire skeletal structure…delve into his muscle mass and make the organs grow as the fat is burned away. Look apon how it takes humanity's blueprint and builds into something worthy to live…something that _I _have created…a creation worthy of survival!"

Shawn's legs contorted and turned almost insectile as they folded within slightly even as his toes extended and widened slightly. More darkish purple liquid suddenly bubbled onto his skin and hardened.

And then…it was over. The keening gone, the monster that had once been Shawn Uptas rose to his feet. He swayed slightly, emitting a constant half gurgle, half snarl.

"Magnificent." Vagane said, marvelling at the creature Shawn now was. "Being that stands before me, what do you do in my presense?"

"Maaasstter." The Shawn Monster gurgled, kneeling on one horribly distended leg before the group. Vagane smiled.

"Creature…I have a task for you. Go and find the nearest place where many people live. When you do, kill them. Men, women, children, old or young, I do not care, slaughter them! Rip out their hearts and crush their skulls in your hands! Feast apon their flesh, as in your birthright."

"Yeesssssss." The Shawn Monster gurgle-growled. But as it began to rise, Vagane held up a hand.

"Wait. I have one lone condition. If you encounter anyone who can fly, or move far faster then any human possibly could, do not try and kill them! Flee from them…do not engage them unless you have no other choice. If you do, flee! Am I understood?"

'Yeesssss…I wiiillll dooo yyyouurr biddinggggg massttteeerrr…." The Shawn Monster gurgle-growled. Then it's powerful legs clenched beneath it and suddenly it leapt into the air, flying hundreds of feet. The group watched as the beast vanished into the horizon.

"After all my calculations of all the major factors that would go our tasks here...after all my observations of this world…it is always the minor things that pose a problem. But I have turned our problem into something for our benefit. That creature now lives to obey me, and he will provide the suitable distraction while we go about our tasks." Vagane said. His hoverchair whirled around, and he looked apon the four.

"Now…while some of you all feel this is below you…and I understand that…speed is of the essence. These tasks have all been tailored for you…and they will be done far quicker if we all separate to do them. Spike…here is your equipment." Vagane said, as another panel slid open on his hoverchair. They bore two small devices. As he handed them to Spike, he looked at them with some distaste.

"What do these do? They won't turn me into a copy of Mr. Leapo Leapo Leapo, will they?" Spike said, indicating where the Shawn Monster had gone. Vagane smirked slightly.

"Have no fear Spike, although I know you never feel fear. No, the smaller device is your Molecular Remote Reassembler."

"And in English that means?"

"Your teleportation device. I've set the cordinates. Once you are done at one location, go to the next. Once the button no longer takes you anywhere, press the other button, and you will be brought to our determained resembly place. It also doubles as your tracker, use it to locate what you need to find easily. The other one is your Stealth…"

"ENGLISH!"  
"…Your cloaking device. Press the button and you will be rendered invisible, soundless, without scent, or lacking any ways that you could be "seen". Try not to damage it, it's very delicate, and I don't think you want it shorting out. You could find yourself in a very bad situation."

"Got it, press this, swipe that, when do I get to eat?" Spike complained.

"Soon, Spike. Adam, here is your MRR." Vagane said, as another panel opened and he handed the hybrid a small disc-shaped object, Spike glanced over to it.

"Hey, how come his looks so different?"

Taking the disk, Adam raised it to the disc drive built into his chest and inserted it, his eyes blinking as he read the data. 

"Nevermind." Spike muttered.

"It is a simple task…but I do try and learn everything I can…I will look apon this as the experince to aquire some new knowledge, however small…for now." Adam said.

Vagane turned to Alexia.

"My lovely Alexia…" Vagane said. Alexia smiled slightly, even shyly, as Vagane removed two other devices from his chair.

"Your MRR…it is much more powerful then the other two, and will transport two people so you and Tormentor can go together. And here is your other device…you know what to do with it." Vagane said. 

"Yes Vagane. I understand." Alexia said. Tormentor remained silent. For now, he would trust that his task would let him wreck havoc. If not…

Vagane turned back to his Valkyries. Once again, they all bowed.

"My girls…all of you know what you must do. You already have your equipment. Belinda, Kate, Alonna, you're with me. You know the mission."

"Yes master. We are honoured." Said Belinda.

"Good. My allies…my Valkyries….it begins now. Let us go."

"Daddy, can we go home now?" said the little girl as her father brought her through the door of the school. Her father sighed. He couldn't blame his daughter, the Parent-Teacher meeting had gone far longer then he had expected, never mind how long that would seem to the childish mind of his six year old daughter.

"Yes honey, we can…" the man began to say, before the creature landed in front of him. "WHAT THE HELL?!?!?!"

The Shawn Monster let out a snarling sound of anticipation and leapt forward, cruel claws extended as the little girl began to scream. The screams increased as the man put himself instinctively in front of his daughter and the creature fell on him, his cries of pain mixing with his daughter's terrified screams as the creature tore him to shreds.

"DADDY! DADDY! AIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!" The girl screamed. Her childen's sanity broke a second before the creature lashed out with a clawed hand and cleaved the girl's head from her shoulder in a great gout of blood. 

As the head bounced off the door, the creature lowered it's head and began to tear at the flesh of the man, riping it off in great chunks and swallowing it before its ears caught a new noise and it looked up to see the woman and her two boys standing before him.

"MOMMY!" one of them shrieked, as the woman stood rooted to the spot in shock, unable to comprehend how the simple area leading to the parking lot could so quickly turn into a slaughterhouse.

Then the monster leapt at them, and their screams echoed through the air and into the hallways of Ginger City's Elementary School.

"So, now I'm nothing more then a common thief…what a waste…but I do have to admit, this is really cool…" Spike said, as he slowly walked through the hallway of a house, his boots making no noise on the plush carpeting below. However, as Spike had discovered, he could have been walking on the driest of leaves and he wouldn't have made a sound. Vagane's cloaking device had worked like a charm. The house had security and some servants, and he had stood in front of them and jumped up and down while making faces. They hadn't seen a thing. So now he was making his way down the hallway, following his device and glad Vagane had included it. The house was huge, and he would have easily gotten lost, not to mention he would have no idea where to look.

The device indicated he should enter the next room, so he did. The door opened to a plush master bedroom, beautifully furnished. The door suddenly opening startled the maid in the room, but the fact that no one seemed to come in calmed her down again almost immediately and she went back to dusting the mantel beside the bed.

Then she felt a hand clamp around her mouth and her scream was muffled as sharp fangs suddenly buried themselves in her neck. The maid writhed in Spike's grip, but her struggles eventually grew weaker and weaker and finally she went limp. Spike let her go and she collasped, as he lifted his head and reveled in the task of drinking blood. It had once been as common to him as a human eating or drinking, but the Initiative had seen to it that his simplest pleasure was robbed of him. It was only then he realized how marvelous it was, and now that it had been restored to him via Vagane's hands, he was going to do it whenever he could.

Licking the blood from around his lips, Spike shoved the maid's body under the bead with his food. He felt good, better then he had in a long time. He had fed before, but it had been on one of Vagane's girls that he offered him as a sacrifice, and he had always had to stop short and let the girl live. Part of the whole experience was to not just steal the blood from the victim but the life as well, feeling it ebb out of the person even as their life liquid slid down your throat. Smiling, Spike reactivated his cloak and began rummaging around in the same mantel that the maid had been cleaning. It didn't take him long to find the bag. Lifting it out, he smirked at the image that it seemed to be floating in mid-air by itself.

"Well, here's the first one. I find it hard to believe that these silly beans can actually heal any kind of injury…but if Vagane wants them out of these people's hands so badly, they must have something going for them. Well, one down, more to go. And maybe I'll find more things to eat in the process." Spike said as he looked at Vegeta's personal bag of Senzu beans. He smirked to himself, and pulled out his MRR and pressed the button to bring him to his next location.

Blue and red lights flashing, several police cars roared to a stop in front of Ginger City Elemntary School. As officers jumped out they fanned into position, several staying behind the cars for cover while half a dozen others drew their weapons and headed for the front door of the school. The bodies in front of the school made most of the officers sick to their stomach, but they pressed on, the proof of the cry of terror that they had received from a phone call before it had been abruptly cut off was real and serious. Deadly serious.

Taking position in front of the door, three on either side, the superior in this situation signaled back to his fellow officers at the cars and then burst through the door with his companions.

And found a butcher shop. Blood covered the walls and was caked into the floor, as parts of people lay scattered everywhere. Lengths of intestine twined across the floor, human hands lay with fingers outstretched in a gesture of mercy that had never come, and in one place a bullaten board for kindergarden pictures had become a whole new kind of art as a child's leg lay embedded in the board, dripping more blood onto the soaked floor.

Four of the cops promptly lost of their lunch, including the superior. But as they vomited, one of of the two policeman who had managed to keep the contents of his stomach inside heard it.

"What the hell is that?"

Then the Shawn Monster emerged from around the corner, holding a tiny body in one cruelly clawed hand. It took one last bite and threw the ravaged corpse aside.

The police didn't bother with warnings of any kind, as their survival mechanisms kicked in full force and they immediately opened fire.

The Shawn Monster cocked its head and took a step back from the force that the barrage of bullets brought against it. But besides being staggered slightly, the onslaught did nothing else, as the small pieces of metal and plastic designed solely to kill bounced off of the armour that had hardened on the creature's skin. Not amused, and with an undying hunger placed in it by it's creator, the Shawn Monster leapt forward.

The new screams blasted from within the school, startling the police standing at guard outside. The cries of pain sliced into them, and though their training told them to go help, their sudden fear compelled them to stay.

And then the door exploded outward as a mangled corpse was tossed out through it. It bounced across the walkway and came to a stop a few feet away from the officers. The policemen stared with horror at the body, who had once been one of their own, before he had lost an arm, most of his legs, and any chance of his face being recognized.

A gurgling growl, like someone trying to snarl through a mouth full of seaweed, came from the entrence and then the creature that had once been Shawn Uptas ran through the doors, heading for the police, a thought of its past warping and twisting into another murderous rage.

The men tried to protect themselves, but their weapons were futile, and the creature ripped through them in another cataphomy of screams. One of the officers gave up firing and reached for his radio as his comrades were slaughtered.

"HELP! WE NEED HELP! MONSTER! CAN'T STOP…ARRGGGHHHHHHH!" The man screamed as his car was suddenly lifted up and toppled over onto him, crushing the life from his body.

The Shawn Monster's inhuman face twisted into a terrible version of a smile, and it began to feed again.

"STOP!!!!!!!!!!"

Its attention drawn, the creature looked up to see the man wearing a green and black outfit with a white cape, white turban, and sunglasses floating in the air above him.

Gohan had been floating in the air for a good ten seconds before he had spoken, but his voice had been robbed from him by the sheer disbelief and revulsion that had swept over him when he had arrived. He had gotten the frantic report via his Great Saiyaman watch-device, and his amazing speed had allowed him to change and be at the scene in seconds. He had heard the sheer fear in the man's voice, and had prayed he would not be too late.

But he was. The stench of death was everywhere, and Gohan had briefly had a nightmarish flashback that culminated in the fear he would see a terrible, familiar face. In the back of his mind, he was relieved that it was only a monster. But his horror at the canopa of death laid out before him still chilled him to the bone. It wasn't déjà vu, but it was just as bad.

As Gohan finally found the strength to speak, and the creature's attention was drawn to him, Gohan felt his shock, horror, and grief at the lives that had been lost begin to turn into rage, a burning fury that swelled up within his heart and exploded outward through his veins.

"WHY HAVE YOU DONE THIS!?!?!?!?!?" Gohan screamed, as his rage bypassed the greater powers of his Mystic ability and linked to his ki powers. The turban flew off his head and his sunglasses melted and vaporized as Gohan's hair flared up and exploded into the golden shimmering spiked locks of the SSJ2 state.

"Why….what did these people do to you to deserve…." Gohan spat in sheer rage as his knuckles whitened under his gloves. He didn't care what happened to him, his saiya-jin blood had taken full control of his mind and was screaming for him to rip the monster apart with his bare hands.

But he never got the chance, as the beast suddenly turned and leapt away, flying hundreds of feet with no effort at all. Gohan gasped slightly, then ki energy exploded on his hands.

"YOU'RE NOT GETTING AWAY!" he bellowed, and thrust his hands out as he fired a golden beam at the retreating monstrosity. But the creature somehow twisted in mid-air and the blast flew by its side, slamming into a building that began to buckle under the explosive power that the blast unleashed against it.

Gohan's cooler side then finally regained control, and his mind realized what his error had done. While he had been lucky that the building he had hit was condemned, there were still people around it. And it was about to fall on their heads.

Cursing that he would have to let the monster get away, Gohan zapped over to where the building was finally collasping, scooping up the people who had been unable to run far enough to get away. As the building fell down, Gohan fled the scene, taking a small saitisfaction that he had managed to keep anyone from getting hurt in that situation.

Leaving the people to be attended by the city, Gohan blasted back into the air, frantically pressing at his watch. He finally activated what he wanted.

"Bulma? It's me, Gohan! Call everyone you can and tell them to get to Ginger City as fast as possible! I need all the help I can get!"

Karin was taking yet another catnap, Yajirobee ironically mused. The cat may have been a mighty warrior once, back in the days before Goku, and while he was pathetically weak now, like him, he could still handle himself in a fight with any normal man, which was about the only thing Yajirobee wanted to fight any more. However, considering how much Karin napped, it was amazing he didn't get as weak as Master Roshi's turtle.

Then again, he grew the Senzu Beans. That made him as important to the Z warriors as the mightiest of fighting power. Karin may not have been there to help fight their battles, but had he not given them those magical beans out of the goodness of his heart, Earth would probably be long gone.

Yajirobee smirked as his musings went full circle, coming back to his original pondering on Karin's sleeping.

"Rest well, my friend. You have earned…"

Then the whole tower shook violently, and Yajirobee was snapped out of his thoughts as quickly as Karin was snapped out of sleep.

"What's going on Yajirobee!?!??!" Karin yelled as the tower shook violently again.

"I don't know! It feels like someone's trying to…AHHHHH!" Yajirobee screamed as the ground suddenly surged underneath him and he was thrown onto his rather large ass. It provided a good cushion, but it was his eyes that saw that the tower was lurching dangerously to one side.

"Karin! The tower's collasping! We have to get to the…"

Too late, as there was one last violent jerk and suddenly the top of the tower was falling, seized by gravity's greedy hold. The force of falling caused Yajirobee to fly up and bounce of the ceiling, his sword flying out of his hand and into the great beyond as the impossibly tall tower collasped onto itself, taking the top part on a one-way trip to the ground.

"KARIN!"

"YAJIROBEE!"

And then it all came crashing down on top of them as the ground finally caught up to them and the ball-esque top of the tower shattered like a raw egg on top of the huge pile of rubble that now lay where the tower had been.

Yajirobee may have been only a man, but he was a mighty man, and fueled by adrendaline and a desire to save a being he called a friend, he managed to ignore the terrible pain lancing through his broken body and shove the heavy broken stones off of him.

"Karin?" he coughed.

Then he saw the twisted nightmare of organic and mechanical parts standing some distance from the wreckage of Karin Tower, and he gasped in fear.

"Hmmm, you live. Amazing." Adam said, and a slight humming filled the air as Adam brought his right hand up. Yajirobee screamed.

And then the wreckage of Karin Tower exploded and Yajirobee's screams were swallowed as destroying energy devoured his body. Adam lowered his hands and regarded the flaming wreckage.

"It is strange that Vagene would require the destruction of such a odd building to destroy a crop of beans…my records show that bean crops are usually grow outdoors in fields…but if these beans truly did what Vagane claims they did, as incredulous as it was…perhaps they were worth protecting. But now there is nothing to protect. And with such ease too, I thought it might be harder to destroy such a tower. What a waste of my abilities."

"You called me on such a simple search and destroy mission? What a waste of my abilities." Vegeta muttered. Gohan looked at the saiya-jin angrily, as he floated in mid-air with everyone Bulma had been able to get. The rather ragtag group of Yamcha, Krillian, Eighteen, Ubuu, Trunks, and Goten took a brief look at Vegeta, then looked back to Gohan

"Can it, Vegeta. This creature murdered people, including children, and it's somewhere in this city. I looked as much as I could while I was waiting for you to arrive, and I couldn't find it. I need numbers, I don't want for it to escape or kill more because I'm just one man. That's why you're here. Split up everyone. If you find this creature, destroy it immediately. And remember Vegeta, if this thing murdered children with no remorse, it could very easily go after your daughter."

"Bra can take care of herself, I have seen to that after those two…incidents. You could see how well she has learned from her father if Bulma had allowed me to bring her. I swear, that woman just hears the word "monster" and she…"

"Later Vegeta. Let's go guys." Gohan said, and the group all split up and flew off in different directions. Gohan's eyes scanned the ground, look for any sign of the monster he had seen before. He felt a brief tap on his shoulder and almost broke his younger brother's hand off.

"Whoa! Watch it big bro." Goten said.

"Sorry."

"Before I go, I just want to know, where's father? This seems like something he would gladly help out with."

"I don't know. He wasn't at Mother's house and there was no answer at mine. He might be training Pan, and if that were the case he probably wouldn't notice anything else, you know how he gets."

"Tell me about it. Well, I'll do my best Gohan, but I have to ask, is it smart for all of us to be grouped together like this? What if something else happens?"

"Goten, if anyone else of any importence happens, or was happening, I think I would know."

It was a lovely day on Planet Namek, and the main Namek Elder, a middle-aged (by Namek standards anyway) Namekian by the name of Tring was getting ready to start his day. Finishing his glass of the cool water that came from the spring in the nearby mountains, he prepared to go to the village he looked after to see if there were any problems that needed his assisstance.

His hearing was better then his sense of smell, so he heard the faint screams first. Then he heard the _WHOOSH_ and suddenly his nostrils filled with the stench of smoke.

"What!?! What's going on?" Tring said, as he headed for the door in a quick walk. He shoved it open and strode outside.

Then his jaw dropped. His house was slightly away and above the main village, which seemed to be the only reason that it was spared. A huge wall of fire surrounded every other house in the village. The wall, at least twenty feet high, seem to lap greedily at the Nameks inside. Tring could hear his people's cries, and watched in shock as a Namek tried to fly up and over the wall only to have a tongue of flame leap up from the top of the firewall and envelop him. He got off one lone scream before he was incinerated.

"My people! Who, how…" Tring said, fear and desperation rising in him. He had to put the fire out, or all his village would perish…but what kind of demonic flame was it that it killed a being that was trying to escape?

Then he saw them. Had he not been a creature thoroughly grounded in reason, he would have thought he was dreaming. Standing some distance away was a woman, a human woman. She wore a red dress and look to be as frail as crystal. Then his eyes fell apon the towering figure behind and slightly to her left, and he gasped in sheer terror as he looked apon Tormentor's hideous face and body. The look got him an evil smile in return. More then any reason then he didn't want to go crazy, Tring returned his eyes to the woman.

Then he saw that the woman was holding her arm out, her fingers causually spread. The arm was pointing at the wall of fire that had imprisonned his people within their own village.

"Are you the High Elder? The one who controls the magical artifacts known as the Dragon Balls?" Alexia said, her voice cold and emotionless.

Tring took some time to answer.

"Yes…I am…why…who…"

"I am Alexia Ashford. I am the head of the great Ashford family and the commander of the power of the T-Veronica virus…and I want you to call the Dragon Balls to yourself, NOW!" Alexia said coldly. Tring gulped. The woman's voice was as cruel as a polished blade.

"No…I won't…" Tring said in a brief surge of bravery. A look of annoyance crossed Alexia's face, and she flexed her fingers slightly. The wall of fire began to move, drawing inward into the village. The screams of terror increased.

"NO! DON'T!" Tring begged.

"I know you possess the power to summon the Dragon Balls from where they are hidden on your planet. The Namek elders gave themselves that ability after a series of crisises convinced them that they might need to call apon the Balls's power again quickly. Now summon the Balls to yourself, or your people will all fry like that fool who tried to escape. Your choice, there are thousands of Nameks on this planet I can cook until the Balls are mine."

"No. Don't kill them…I will obey you." Tring said, his voice tinged with angry resentment that the woman held such a blade over his head. Slowly, he raised his hands and summoned the heirloom of his planet, the powerful magical pearls that had saved the universe more then once. Hoping that the woman would just take them and leave. But at the same time, he realized that if she knew about his power to call the Dragon Balls, a power he had only aquired a little while ago when he became the High Elder of Namek, she would also most likely know that in order to use the Namek Balls you needed to speak in the Namekian tongue. He shuddered inwardly and hoped that whatever she wished it did not result in more death. He'd seen his planet destroyed along with himself, he didn't want to see it again.

A short time passed, and then one of the golden balls floated down from the sky, landing on the ground between him and the two creatures that held his people hostage. Then they came, gradually but not too slowly, until all seven of the pearls were there.

"There you are. Take them and wish whatever you want, just leave my people alone." Tring said in a voice that was partly a hiss. Alexia looked at the Namek with amusement.

"Wish? I desire no wish."

Alexia glanced over her shoulder.

"Tormentor!"

And then the huge brute stepped forward, as he drew from his back an axe as big as a man. The axe was black all over, skulls forged into its hilt and bones weaved through its handle. The blade had a radius of over four feet and was cruelly barbed. It seemed to be the act of bloodletting forced into a weapon.

"Do it!"

"DESTROY!" Tormentor roared as he brought up his axe and brought it down on the Three-Star Dragon Ball, the artifact breaking like glass under the weapon as the bright golden-orange shards turned to the dead grey of stone.

"NO! NO!" Tring screamed as Tormentor continued to destroy his planet's greatest treasure, and he ran forward to try and stop the mammoth demon from doing so. Alexia smirked.

"Fool."

Then the Namek's feet suddenly lit on fire, and Tring fell to the ground, yelling at the flames seared him. His eyes jerked up as Tormentor destroyed the second to last Dragon Ball and Alexia withdrew a small device from the bodice of her dress, aiming it at Tring. He screamed again.

Then the device fired, and a purple light lanced from the device and struck the Namek. His scream cut off as a bright purple light flashed, and suddenly the Namek was frozen in place, sealed away in a dark-purple crystal, his mouth opened in a permanent cry of fear and grief.

Tormentor destroyed the last Dragon Ball and looked up with great desire as Alexia put the device away.

"Why not kill him?" Tormentor said.

"He also commands the power to remake the Dragon Balls should they be destroyed. The future may bring a need for him to do so, for us. Thus I have sealed him away per Vagane's request. If we do not need him after all…he will be destroyed. But for now, he comes with us back to Earth." Alexia said as she withdrew her MRR and began to reprogram it to take three beings back to Earth at the predetermained meeting place.

"Alexia…what of the other aliens?" Tormentor said, indicating the wall of fire where cries of terror still wafted from.

Alexia smiled cruelly.

"Kill them all."

"YEESSSS!" Tormentor said, as he raised his terrible axe and walked right through the wall of flame. Alexia did not let it concern her. Tormentor's power would see he would not be harmed.

The screams suddenly increased into a symphony of noise, terror and pain, mixed in with a demon's laughter. Alexia closed her eyes and listened as Tormentor tore the Nameks apart, the destruction of an inferior species music to her ears. The screams, the screams, the screams…

…alerted Gohan as he flew across the sky, desperately searching for the monster that had escaped him back at the school. Sick fear raced through him. _NO! Don't tell me that beast had struck again!_

But as he raced towards where he had heard the screams, he could see the blood and knew that it had.

The Shawn Beast tore the woman he had been devouring alive in half and then looked up in annoyance. He had kept to the shadows via his master's orders, skulking around and killing anyone who discovered him. But finally, he could take no more, and he had waited until the flying one had gone elsewhere before he had reemerged to feed and kill. He could not believe he had been found again so quickly.

Flexing his legs, the monster abandoned it's meal of the small tour group it had slaughtered and leapt upward onto the nearest roof, Gohan in furious pursuit. 

Gohan whipped back his hand and then thrust it forward, sending a spiraling ki energy projectile at the beast, but the beast leapt forward several hundred feet and all Gohan managed to do was blow up a good part of the roof. The beast continued to leap from roof to roof, as Gohan fired off several more inaccurate shots that only resulted in the destruction of more roofs.

But finally, the Shawn Monster ran out of easy leaps as it looked ahead and saw that it had come to one end of the city. A massive twisting maze of freeway roads led to the beginning of the next part, which was at least a thousand feet away. It growled again and prepared itself, knowing that it could jump across the entire series of roads and land on a building on the other side. It reached the edge and exploded off into the air.

And then Goten flew up from above, his fists laced together.

"I don't think so!"

Then Goten brought his clenched hands down on the creature's head, stopping its jump cold and sending it falling down towards a raised section of highway road. Cars screeched to a halt as the monster was smashed right through one section of the road before coming to a dead halt in the muddy, gravel-strewn ground beneath the freeway passes.

Gohan didn't even thank his brother, as he quickly altered his course and flew down under the raised freeway roads. He finally had the creature cornered.

The Shawn Monster slowly raised itself to its feet as Gohan landed some feet away. It growled in pain, looking at its shattered right leg, the pulverized mass of muscle and bone that was the result of Goten's blow. Then it turned its burning eyes on Gohan, whose eyes were equally filled with rage.

"Monster." Gohan hissed.

The Shawn Monster hissed back. It couldn't flee anymore.

"FOORRRR THEEE MASSTTTEEERRRR!" it squealed and charged at Gohan, claws out to tear the hybrid to bits. Gohan didn't move, but instead threw up his arms and thrust them down at the creature.

"MASENKO!"

The golden beam exploded from Gohan's hands and enveloped the charging monster, and it squealed before the burning energy blew it off the face of the earth, burning it's virus-corrupted flesh to ash.

Gohan lowered his arms, breathing in anger and exhaustion. There was a slight noise of wooshing air and then Goten landed next to him.

"You get it bro?"

"Yes. Yes I did." Gohan said, his voice indicating he took no joy in his apparent success. There were more noises as the Z warriors Gohan had summoned to help him landed next to him as well.

"Is the monster dead? BAH! What a waste of my time!" Vegeta cursed, and then he was gone again, back to his home. Krillian looked at the ashes.

"Nice one Gohan. Looks like you didn't need us after all, as Vegeta put it so rudely, but hey, it's not like he can do it any other way…hey Gohan, what's wrong?"

"The monster…before I killed it…it spoke…it said it served a master…as if it did all this for this master…and the sheer insanity of the way it killed those people… it just got me thinking…could it be…could she…"

There was silence, a silence overlapped by fear. Goten spoke up first.

"No Gohan. She's gone. She's locked up back in Erik's world without any memories of ever coming here, and even if she could remember, it was a one-time thing! There is no way…no way…"Goten said before trailing off. Now even he didn't believe himself.

"Those who died in that holocaust did not remember what happened during that terrible week. I don't, and I'm glad of it. She died, Gohan. She may have been able to break seemingly every rule, but I think that was one that was iron-clad. It can't be her." Krillian said, but he took his wife's hand as he spoke.

"Be thankful you can't remember, Krillian. I do all too well. I still see her in my nightmares, those terrible inhuman eyes…I'm just thankful I'll never see them again." Yamcha said.

"Yes…but can such evil really die…can the memories that we lost be lost to her as well…because if not…maybe you're right, brother." Gohan said, wiping sweat from his eyes. "But who else could create a creature that would kill with such reckless abandon…such mercilessness as she showed? Who could match her inhuman desire for such senseless destruction?"

Dende's eyes snapped open and he sat up with a cry. He could feel it. Something was wrong, terribly wrong.

"My people…dying…must…argh!" Deende said, stumbling of his chamber and out of the palace. He dearly hoped Piccolo was there, instead of off in some godforsaken corner of the planet meditating. He could feel his racial bond to his people continue to pour out terrible jumbled images of death, fire, pain…and laughter.

Luck was not with him, Piccolo was gone. Still scared and confused by the images pouring into his head, Dende began to head down the stairs, trying to clear his head enough to contact someone on his planet.

Then he saw them, and his old fear was forgotten, as he looked apon the man that sat in the hovering mechanical chair before him, flanked by three young women.

"You are Dende? Kami and protector of Earth?" the man asked calmly. Dende looked at the man with the grey-streaked hair and beard.

"Yes, but how did you get…who are you…" Dende said. The main smirked slightly.

"I have my ways."

Then Dende, for not reason other then the purpose of breathing, sniffed.

And the shock came flooding back. The strench of blood coming off the man was terrible, flooding Dende's senses in a way they hadn't been flooded in years. It brought back terrible memories of the madwoman who had invaded his tower four years ago…a female personification of death that had nearly killed him and everyone he cared for.

"What are you…" Dende said, and then gasped as the women suddenly leapt forward and grabbed him, holding his arms.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING! LET GO!" Dende said, struggling with all his might. The women strained to held on, their strength closely matching Dende but their desire to succeed far stronger then his ever could be. They knew what would happen if they failed.

Drawn by the noise, Mr. Popo ran out of his palace chamber and saw his god and his best friend being assaulted. Instinctively, he ran for his aid. Vagane's eyes filled with annoyance as he saw the short man in a turban running towards him.

"Blasted interfering insects!" he growled, and pressed a few more buttons. Dende's eyes widened as a tube suddenly slid out the front of Vagane's hoverchair.

"MR.POPO, RUN!"

Too late.

The burst of blue energy shot from the tube and enveloped Mr. Popo. As the smell of cooking flesh filled the air, his scream mixed with Dende's howl of protesting denial, and then a burst of power shot down the length of the beam that was wrapped around Mr. Popo and cooking him alive. He burst into flames as he was flung backwards, vanishing over the edge of Kami's Lookout as his screams faded.

"MR. POPO! NO!" Dende howled, and then with a roar of pure rage and a surge of strength he never knew he had, he threw the girls aside. They sprawled on the ground, but they were on their feet with terrible speed and running back to Dende to restrain him again.

But that was long eneough for Dende to gather his power.

"YOU BASTARD!" he screamed, and thrust his hands forward, sending a bolt of green energy at Vagane. Vagane threw up one arm even as he thrust the other down, and then the ki struck him. As the explosion consumed him, the three girls stopped dead.

"MASTER!" Belinda wailed in pure grief and fear as she stared in horror at the cloud of smoke where the doctor had been. Dende kept his angry eyes on the cloud, his dark side revealing in his successful destruction.

Then a purple beam lanced from the cloud, and Dende's jaw dropped in shock. Then he screamed as the beam struck him. His body contorted backwards and then suddenly he was encased in purple crystal. Coughing came from the smoke cloud as it finally cleared, revealing the "good doctor" none the worse for wear.

"Master! You're ok!" Belinda said joyously, but her happiness turned to fear as Vagane turned angry eyes on her.

"Of course I'm ok! Did you think that such a pathetic attack could possible penetrate the shields I have developed?" Vagane said. Belinda hastily kneeled.

"No master! I never doubted you for a second!"

"Good." Vagane said, as he looked at the imprisoned Dende. "I am disappointed. This weakling is the God of this planet? It did not even take me a minute to capture him! If he is the god, perhaps the warriors on this planet are far weaker then my observations led me to believe…but that does not matter. Fall in Valkyries. If the others have succeeded as easily as I did I will be a good mood, and thus your punishment for failing to keep that weakling held will be less severe!"

"Yes master." Said all three of the girls, their heads bowed submissively.

There was a crackling noise, and then suddenly Vagane and his three Valkyries materilized on the cliff face. Angry waves lashed the bottom as the sea seemed to sense something terrible was about to happen. Long ago, a saiya-jin prince had stood on this cliffside with plans to take his own life. Now many stood on the cliffside, and they planned to do was take lives.

"Good to see you again, mate." Spike said as Vagane floated over to where his four allies had gathered.

"As well, Spike. I trust your mission was not as bad as you thought?" Vagane asked.

"I got to eat." Spike said, licking his lips. Vagane smirked slightly.

"Were you successful?"

"I figured since you let me eat I would try, and yes, I got them all. At least I bleeding hope so, if those beans can do what you say I don't want them in those bleeding warrior's hands…" Spike muttered. Vagane turned to one of the Valkyries. She kneeled.

"Marie?"

"Yes master. I checked his MRR, he went to all the locations and found all your marked places. We have all the beans that those people once had."

"Excellent. Adam?"

"It was a great waste of time, but I succeeded in destroying the tower you said those "senzu beans" were grown at. They are gone, and so is the knowledge of how they are grown, if that cat creature you said truly was the only one to possess such knowledge. A pity…it would be quite useful to possess such knowledge once I have been given what you said we will all receive…but I am sure I can replicate it, if that little animal was able to."

"I am sure as well. Ah, Alexia…"Vagane said, the affection obvious in his voice. But it wasn't love, it was a twisted feeling of admiration…and something else. Alexia smiled slightly.

"We were successful as well. The Dragon Balls of the Planet Namek were destroyed…along with a good many Nameks. But we spared the Elder and captured him as per your request."

"Wonderful. Your skills are as great as your beauty, my lovely Alexia." Vagane said. Adam and Tormentor ignored Vagane's obvious liking of the young woman. Tormentor did not care, and Adam was secure in his superiority, and also respectful of the incredible power that lurked underneath the frail body that Alexia Ashford seemingly possessed. Spike, however, was annoyed.

"I'll tell you one thing, if he starts calling me "My lovely William", I don't care if he promises me everything in existence, I'm still gonna rip his head off!" Spike muttered. Vagane heard the vampire, but he ignored it as he turned to his grouped Valkyries, indicating with a gesture that they did not have to kneel.

"Were you successful, my girls?"

"Yes my lord. We aquired them all, without any losses or suspecion." Said one of the women, and seven of them broke away from the pack and laid the seven golden-orange pearls, all marked with stars, in front of Vagane, arranging them in a perfect circle and then withdrawing back into the group.

"The Earth possesses these as well?" Alexia asked, looking at the Dragon Balls with interest. Spike leaned over Vagane's shoulder as the Valkyries filed behind Vagane to keep out of his way and to serve as guard.

"What are these, mate?"

"They are a source of great, great power, Spike. And they are the second step in our plan. Behold." Vagane said, and raised his arms.

"COME OUT SHEN LONG, AND GRANT MY WISH!"

Gohan was flying home when he saw the sky darken. His brow furled.

"Odd…is someone summoning Shen Long?"

All around the world, men and women who possessed power far beyond that of mortal beings looked up into the sky and wondered the same. In the forest, Tien stopped stacking wood and looked up at the sky with his wife Lunch, and Chaozu. Out in the forest, Seventeen looked up from his snares. Outside his house, Mr. Satan looked up from his conversation with Buu at the sky. As they flew back to where they had been before Gohan called them, Goten, Vegeta, Trunks Ubuu, Yamcha, Krillian, and Eighteen all looked at the darkneing sky and wondered out loud the same thing Gohan had. Bra emerged from the gravity chamber and looked up, even as Marron looked out the window from her house and Videl looked up from the path she was taking to get home. Piccolo, meditating on a mountaintop, ceased his concentration and looked as well.

And in a field near Gohan's house, Son Goku ceased his sparring with his granddaughter and looked up into the sky as it crackled with thunder.

"Grandpa?" Pan said. Goku didn't answer. The feeling had sprung up in his gut, a feeling of dread and horrible forebearence.

"Something's wrong. Very very wrong."

The balls glowed and then the power exploded forth from within them, the beams of golden energy flying upward and forming into the massive body of Shen Long.

"Whoa." Spike said.

"Impressive, I suppose." Adam added.

"I am Shen Long, the Eternal Dragon. Speak two wishes and I will grant them if it is within my power." Shen Long said as he looked down at the group. In his heart, Shen Long felt some unease. He had appeared to all kinds of people and beings, both good and bad, but there was something unique about the man who sat before him. And it was not good.

"Shen Long, my first wish is that in a location I have chosen, I wish for a massive fortress to be build for me and my allies. It will take me a great deal of time to describe the details, so I know it is within your power, read my mind and take all details from it."

"It will be done." Shen Long rumbled, and closed his eyes in concentration. Power surged around the dragon for a while, and then Shen Long opened his eyes. But there was something different about the dragon this time.

"It is done…it is built on the ground as you wished. What is your second wish?" Shen Long said, the unease within his heart swirling into a storm. He had felt fear very rarely, and never this strong, but when he had touched Vagane's mind in concurrance with his wish the evil he had sensed was utterly mind-boggling, even for him. Silently, Shen Long waited for the second wish.

"For my second wish…there is a man on this planet, Shen Long. A man with the power to destoy solar systems with a wave of his hand and make galaxies crumbled into the space dust that gave them birth. I wish for this man to be my servent, in body, mind, heart and soul, forever! I wish for him to be my slave!" Vagane said triumphantly

Shen Long blinked his huge lashes. It was just as he feared.

"I…cannot do that." Shen Long lied, hoping the madman in front of him would be fooled. Vagane cocked his head slightly.

"Is that so?"

"Yes. It is beyond my power. You must wish for something else." Shen Long bluffed. Vagane smirked and raised his finger in a "Ah-ah-ah" chiding motion.

"You lie. It is within your power, you just do not wish to do it! To think that I am the first being who the Eternal Dragon ever refused to grant a wish to! I almost feel honoured. But I am afraid you cannot refuse, Shen Long. You were created to grant wishes within your power, and this is within it! You cannot deny me it! NOW DO IT!"

Shen Long lowered his head slightly, knowing that Vagane spoke the truth. He could refuse no longer. And he dreaded what he would be forced to do.

"It shall be done." He said grudgingly, and closed his eyes again.

An even more brillant flash illuminated the landscape, blinding most of the Valkyries and Spike. As the vampire cursed, Shen Long opened his eyes, longing to take back what he had done to the man he had considered the greatest being on this planet.

"It…is…done…" Shen Long said. "Fare-"

Then Vagane slammed his head down on a button he had prepared as the dragon had granted his wish. From behind the wheelchair the top of Vagane's chair slid away as a large-bore cannon slid out. Shen Long's eyes widened.

"WHAT?"

Then Vagane slammed his hand down on another button and the cannon fired, sending a huge black blast at the dragon. Shen Long only managed a lone roar of defiance before the blast struck him. The explosion blasted all the Valkyries back and even staggered Adam and Tormentor. Only Vagane did not move, as his face broke out in a sadastic grin as he watched the pieces of Shen Long's body fall into the sea, where the angry waters devoured them. When the smoke cleared, there was no more Shen Long.

"Be careful who you grant wishes to, you just might "get it"." Vagane chuckled, as his allies made their way back to his side.

"You killed him." Alexia said, looking at where Shen Long had been.

"Yes, and we destroyed the way to summon his Namekian brother. That way, he cannot be used against us." Vagane said, the sadistic smirk still on his face.

"Just one question mate. If he could grant wishes, why didn't we just ask HIM for godhood?" Spike said, looking a tad displeased.

"True Spike. You could have asked, and he could have given it to you to a degree…but with me, you will truly know what godhood is. The second step is complete. We no longer have to fear the mighty warriors on this planet, for the mightiest of them all is now in our service."

"Oh really? Where is he then?"

"Coming right towards us." Vagane said, pointing at the small figure who had appeared off in the distant sky. In seconds, he had flown the distance and landed in front of Vagane, kneeling as he did so. Adam looked at the man with some disgust.

"THIS is the mightiest warrior on the planet? He is but another pathetic human!"

"Ah Adam, he may look like one, but within his frame lurks power beyond imagining. More power then all of us put together. Power that now lives only serve us, and our purpose. Isn't that right, Son Goku?"

Goku raised his head. The normal good cheer in his eyes was gone, along with the deadly seriousness he wore in battle. In it was a look that he had never worn in his life. It was the same look Vagane wore in his eyes.

"Master." He said, bowing his head again. Vagane reared back his head and laughed.

"Soon…soon…and even sooner for you, Failure…"Vagane whispered to himself. "Goku! Fall in beside me!"

Goku obeyed with total obediance. The four allies looked him up and down.

"I agree with Adam, as much of a miracle that is. He doesn't look like much." Spike said. Vagane smirked.

"Goku."

"My lord."

"Power up and show them just what kind of might you possess."

"Yes master. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" Goku screamed as his hair flared up into the golden locks of the SSJ state. As Spike's eyes widened, Goku whirled back out to face the sea, thrusting his hands to his side.

"KA-ME-HA-ME-HA!!!!!!!!!!" Goku screamed, and thrust his hands forward, throwing a gigantic blue bolt of power. It flew off into the distance, and then the whole sky lit up and the ground shook as it detonated. The blast of wind was so strong it knocked half the Valkyries over, along with Spike. He quickly got to his feet and looked with wide eyes at the massive mushroom cloud that was rising in the distance.

"Ho.Ly. Shit." Spike said dumbly.

"And that is but a fraction of his power. I have been planning to aquire his…services for some time. You can guess why now. And speaking of now, it is time to move on to step three. We must aquire the Omega Triggers."

"The Omega what? Mate, first of all, start speaking english, and second, I want to know now just what your plan is! You've given us bits and pieces and keep promising us godhood. I want to know how we're gonna get it, now!" Spike said. Vagane chuckled again.

"When we arrive at our new home, the lab that Shen Long set up for us before his unfortunate…accident, I will explain my plan completely. But first, we must aquire the two Omega Triggers. And we shall kill two birds with one stone. In getting the Omega Triggers, we can also draw out all the other warriors in this world. I do not need them interefering with me, so once we have drawn them out, Goku here will…deal with them, in a swift and final way. Isn't that correct, Son Goku?"

"Yes master. It will be my pleasure." Goku said with complete obediance.

"And how do you propose we draw these warriors out, Vagane? I am anxious to see just how strong they are." Adam said. As if on cue, a sharp blade of hardened bone burst from within his inner wrist and extended several feet past his hand.

"Ah Adam. You are a virtual god already, why should you get your hands dirty in a fight? Your powers could be used in far better ways then a simple battle. Did pummeling the Slayer give you anything?"

Spike's face darkened at the mention of the word "Slayer". Adam, on the other hand, seemed to be giving the matter some thought.

"I suppose not…but I do think that such a battle would be a learning experience in some way." Adam said, as his bone blade slid back into his arm. Spike turned away.

"Slayer…when this is over…I will use your neck as a chalice and your body as an abbatoir!" Spike growled, briefly shifting to his game-face before shifting back. He turned back to Vagane.

"As for the warriors of this world…nearly all of them have a lone weakness. They feel a responsibility to protect the pathetic people of this world…just like that group the Failure belong does. So what we must do is simple. We find a city, and we massacre them. They'll come running. They always do, and those who don't want to help the pathetic people will come looking for a good fight. And Goku will show them the true meaning of power. They thought he was strong before? They haven't seen anything yet." Vagane smirked.

"Oh. And do you have a place?" Alexia asked.

"I do. They call it Satan City, named after a famous fool who considers himself a warrior. It's population is gigantic…so let's go slaughter a few million of them."

"YESSSS! KILLLLL!" Tormentor crowed with evil glee.

"Wipe the stain of them from the planet…truly delicious." Alexia said.

"They shall see who is truly the lord and masters of this earth." Adam added.

"Killing…mate, I'm beginning to like you." Spike finished.

"Indeed my friends. We shall show them just how much of a failure their race is…just how unworthy they are of survival…how they don't even know the concept of it. Let's go." Vagane said, activated the strongest MRR he had.

And like that, the group was gone.

The shit hit the fan when Gohan opened the door to his house and found his wife crouching over his daughter as she lay on the couch. Gohan took one look on how she had been brutally beaten and fear exploded in his heart.

"Gohan! Oh Gohan…" Videl said as she turned around to face her husband as he ran to a couch. "I came home and heard her cries…she was laying in the field…she's badly hurt…DAMMIT GOHAN WHERE ARE THE SENZU BEANS!?!?!?" Videl screamed, sharking her husband. Gohan removed his wife's arms and he headed over to the desk where he kept them, his pulse racing. He could have sworn he had told Videl where the beans were. In her panic she must have forgotten.

"Videl, they're right…"Gohan's voice trailed off as he opened the drawer and found the bag of senzu beans gone. The fear came back full force, and Gohan tore the desk apart. But there were no beans, in the desk or anywhere.

"They're gone." Gohan said incredulously.

"THEY'RE GONE!?!?!? WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY'RE GONE!?!?!?!?" Videl shrieked. Gohan ran back over to the couch, fumbling at his boot.

"Don't worry Videl…I always…keep one on me…for emergencies." Gohan said, finally getting his boot off and opening a small pocket inside. Withdrawing a senzu, Gohan gently took his daughter's head. His fear began to mix with rage as he saw how badly it was bruised.

"Pan, can you hear me?" Gohan said calmly as Videl hovered over the two, tears leaking from her eyes. The battered teen nodded her head slightly.

"Ok Pan, I want you to eat this…be careful, ok?" Gohan said as he gently placed the bean in Pan's mouth. Pan's mouth moved labourously up and down a few times before her throat bulged slightly to indicate she had swallowed. There was a sudden jolt throughout her body, and then the bruises began to fade. In seconds, they were gone.

"Oh Pan…" Videl wept, hugging her daughter as hard as she could. Gohan added to the hug, and Pan hugged her parents back. Gohan pushed his glasses back up his nose as he withdrew, looking at his daughter.

"Pan, who did this?"

Pan's eyes filled with sadness. The pain had kept her distracted, but it was gone now, and so was her her ability to put off what had happened.

"Grandpa."

Gohan and Videl's eyes went as wide as they could.

"What?" Gohan croaked, unable to believe what he had just heard.

"Grandpa…it was grandpa…but it wasn't…the sky went dark and he said something was wrong, and then suddenly he bent over screaming and holding his head, and when he bent back up…it wasn't him. Not anymore. It was something else. Something bad…very bad." Pan said, before she collasped into sobs. "What happened to grandpa?"

"Gohan…what's she talking about…?"

"I don't know…Pan…when he bent back up did he have a big M on his forehead?"

"No…he was the same…except…his eyes…not grandpa…bad…bad!" Pan said, the pain and fear causing her to regress back to earlier levels of maturity. Gohan raised his hands in a gesture that said he was unable to understand.

"Videl…call Mom, I have to speak to her…something's wrong…" Gohan said. Videl got up and headed for the closest phone, which was by the window that opened into the front yard.

"Now Pan…you must tell me…"

"GOHAN!" Videl shrieked. Gohan leapt back to his feet and whirled. His daughter was safe now, he could afford to have his attention diverted. He ran over to Videl, who had her hands on her face in shocked surprise.

"What?"

"Out there…the yard…"Videl said, pointing. Gohan looked out the window and his eyes widened.

"MR.POPO?"

Indeed it was, but not in any way that Gohan had ever seen the servent/friend to Kami and Dende. Gohan burst out the door and headed for the prone figure, who lay on the carpet that had managed to take him to Gohan's house. Gohan took one look and gasped. Even with Mr.Popo's very dark skin, Gohan could see he was badly burned. Very badly.

"Mr.Popo? How…what…?" Gohan stammered.

"Gohan…made it…nearly died…managed to summon carpet as I fell…through the pain…you closest…" Mr.Popo whispered, his voice wavery. Gohan clenched his teeth. The Senzu Bean he had given Pan was the only one he had had on his person. And he hadn't moved his other store of beans, and with them missing, Gohan was at a loss of what to do for the poor man who lay before him.

"Mr. Popo, what did this?"

"Monster…evil terrible monster…her…"Mr.Popo whispered, and fear flowed through Gohan. But Mr. Popo was not done.

"…as bad as her…inhuman…Dende…help…please…I…I…"

And then the light faded from Mr. Popo's eyes and his body went limp. Gohan sighed and lowered his head slightly, closing Mr. Popo's eyelids. Even with his horrible injuries, it still made him look like he was at peace.

"Rest well friend. We'll avenge you. I promise." Gohan said, getting up and picking up the body to carry inside. He would figure out what to do with it later.

"Gohan…"came Videl's voice as he opened the door, carrying Mr. Popo's body.

"Mr. Popo's dead. Something terrible has happened at Kami's Lookout…he used his last breath to tell me that…"Gohan said before he realized Videl wasn't listening to him. Instead she was staring at the TV with Pan. Gohan put Mr. Popo's body down on the couch where Pan had laid minutes ago and put a sheet over him.

"Gohan, look." Videl said, pointing at the TV. Gohan did so. It was a news show, and the announcer looked very frazzled.

"This just in…Satan City is under attack by unknown forces…we go now live to our correspondant…" the frazzled annoucer said, before the camera switched to a jerking, swaying view and a male reporter who was obviously terrified.

"Colin, the city is being bombarded by immense forces! It's killing everything in its path! I don't know how safe it is here…" the reporter said before he happened to glance behind the camera. His eyes went as wide as saucers.

"OH MY GOD! HELP ME! HELP ME!" The reporter screamed, and the camera jerked violently around as the cameraman tried to turn around to see what was behind him. Gohan caught a blurry shot of burning, collasping buildings. Then there was another scream before the camera could complete a full 180 trip and then static filled the screen.

Gohan, Videl, and Pan stared in horror.

"I was right…it's her…she's back…dear kami help us all, she's back…" Gohan said, before whirling to his feet as he rose from his half crouch.

"Pan, call Bulma and tell her to get ahold of EVERYONE! Not just those she can phone, EVERYONE! I don't care if she has to use smoke signals, telepathy, ANYTHING, JUST GET EVERYONE! We're gonna need them all!"

"But Dad, what are you going to do?"

Gohan's face hardened into a look of determained fury.

"I'm going to Satan City. To stop whoever's doing this."

The park plain was even more quiet then before, as if the animals, insects, and every living thing could sense that the people who had arrived from another dimension earlier that night had corrupted the land, and that to stay on it would be poison.

Then the crackling noise started up again, and then the air split anew. It did not take long for another figure to emerge from the Gateway. It took a few steps forward, looking around, and then it's head jerked to the side.

"War…I smell the scent of war…and death…I must act…I am sorry my allies, I must go on ahead, I know you will find me." Said a female voice. 

There was the sound of metal being unbound, and then moonlight glinted on twin daggers, long, barbed, and cruelly sharp. The female broke into a run, and the shadows devoured her as quickly as the light had given birth to her.

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To Be Continued! (And if you want me to be quick about it, leave me a long review!)

Ok, I know there's many of you of don't watch a lot of TV, play a lot of video games, or read a lot of comics. Therefore, I will explain who Vagane's four allies are in case you don't know. They belong to whoever owns them, DBZ belongs to Akira Toriyama the Genius. There, I did a disclaimer. Now leave me alone, Lady Delores!

Spike: (from the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer) Spike, or William the Bloody (hence Vagane and others referring to him as William), is one of the nastiest vampires who ever lived. A failing poet who was scorned by the love of his life on a lonely night in 1880, Spike's grief made him vunerable, and the same night he was sired by an insane vampire female named Druisilla (she's a whole another story, you want info on her, look it up yourself!). Spike quickly made a name for himself by regularily starting riots, torturing his victims with railroad spikes (hence the nickname), and generally being the evil demon he now was, and considering he was in a gang led by the legendary Angelus (and he's an even BIGGER another story, find it out yourself, there's about a million web pages dedicated to him), that was really saying something! Spike's greatest accomplishment, aside from aquiring Drusilla as his love in 1900, was his successful victories in defeating two Slayers (legendary girls born with special abilities to kill vampires) in mortal combat, killing them both. However, Spike's life began to go downhill in 1996 when he arrived in a California town called Sunnydale and met the current Slayer, Buffy Summers. Many subsequent defeats later, Spike had lost his love to a chaos demon and practically all of his pride. He left Sunnydale, but returned eventually with a renewed wish to destroy her. However, his fun and games were spoiled when he was captured by the Initiative, a government agency that had been set up in Sunnydale to study creatures of the night like Spike. Spike eventually escaped, but not before the Initiative planted a chip in his brain that caused him extreme pain if he tried to hurt anyone outside of a fellow demon. The inability to even get mad at Buffy made Spike sink into a deep depression, leaving him a shadow of his former self. That was, until Vagane came with him with a promise. Now with the chip deactivated, Spike is back in full force. While his vampiric powers give him great strength, enhanced senses, and strong healing abilities (provided he isn't stabbed in the chest with anything wooden that pierces his heart, decapitated, exposed to sunlight, lit on fire, or bathed in holy water), Spike is the weakest of Vagane's allies. But his sheer nastiness and drive is enough for Vagane, and he'll stick by him and try and cover for Spike's weaknesses. Spike, in return, will aid Vagane, and hopefully get what he wants more then anything, the death of Buffy Summers. (Note to Buffy Fans Only: This story takes place before the Fifth season, therefore Spike has not yet gone from hating Buffy to loving her, and thus has not yet started standing outside her house for hours, saving her from demons, sneaking into her house to smell her sweaters and steal pictures of her, and thinking of her beating him up when he's making love to Harmony)

Adam: (Also from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) Ironically, after all that the dark side of exustence had created in the way of monsters and demons, it would be humankind who would create the greatest monster of them all. Adam was the grand project of the leader of the Initiative (the same group that put the chip in Spike's head), Maggie Walsh. Taking the strongest human and demon parts and throwing in a good deal of machinery as well, Maggie created the twisted nightmare hybrid known as Adam. Adam thanked her for life by killing her the second he woke up. Believing himself to be a god among beings, Adam set out to create a species in his own image, a perfect race. While he was defeated at the end of forth season of BTVS, he lives on by my ability to bring him here. How Vagane managed to convince him to side with him is a miracle, but it has happened. Adam wields IMMENSE physical and mechanical powers, has a mind so advanced he is aware of every single molecule around him at every time, and commands endurance that is almost beyond belief. Adam believes himself to be a god, his abilities say he is right, and if Vagane is successful, it will be true.

Alexia Ashford: (From Resident Evil: Code Veronica) Umbrella Inc was a sinister corperation, and the family that ran a good part of it showed exactly why. The Ashfords were a family full of people with insane dreams and even more twisted desires. But none could match Alexia Ashford. Umbrella's attempt to create the ultimate biological weapon had produced the T-Virus, which turned humans into flesh-craving zombies, and the G-Virus, which turned humans into something far worse. But Alexia and her brother Alfred were not saitisfied. Alexia topped them all by a long shot when she developed the T-Veronica Virus. Her initial test on her father proved to be a failure, as he lost his mind long before he could realize the true power of the organism. Alexia, in turn, tested it on herself, and was successful in gaining full control over the powers it granted her. Alexia may look frail, but with her lurks a power so terrible it can give the most hardened men nightmares. If she decides to unleash it fully, woe behold the person who feels her wrath…

Tormentor: (From Spawn: The Dark Ages) A savage brute with no soul, it is not known if Tormentor was once a human corrupted beyond belief, or a demon straight from hell itself. Whatever his origins, Tormentor lives to inflict pain and misery, and while he cannot feed and derive power from it like a certain female, it makes him no less evil. Tormentor thrives on pain, so much that he has removed several pieces from his victims and attached them to himself so they can suffer for eternity in a mockery of life. Tormentor wields immense strength as well, wields weapons that seem to have been forced from pain and killing themselves, and it is said that no blade can cut his skin nor no fire burn it. Tormentor lives only to kill and destroy…and if he aquires the power of a god…the world could never recover from the damnation that would be brought apon it…

****

But none can match the evil that lurks within the heart and soul of Dr. Thanatos Vagane…


	2. Shattered

Chapter 2: Shattered

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"The belief in a supernatural source of evil is not necessary, men alone are quite capable of every wickedness."

Joseph Conrad

"I shall carry slaughter and cause devastation to my enemy…so my name shall live."

Genghis Khan

"I have sworn before the alter of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." 

Thomas Jefferson

Fall, you bitch. I don't care that you're going to love the landing, just fall. And may it take you hours to pick up your pieces, even if I know it won't!

You may be inhuman, but you can't run at supersonic speed. The one who created you ripped the life from this section of the world for hundreds of miles around, and you're at the dead centre of its ash and desert wastelands. Even if you never stop walking, you won't get out of there for days.

And there's nothing for you to kill out there. Nothing at all. I think you knew that too when I saw your face as you fell. I can still see it. I always do.

My heart is at peace for the moment, but I must go now. I've settled the problem of you for now. Now I have a far greater one.

Vagane.

I'm coming for you Vagane.

Even if I have to go through hell and back again through it, I will get you this time. For all your genius, you made a fatal mistake when you told me you were alive. When you told me what you did…how she came to be.

Wait for me…do I dare call them friends?

They would.

Wait for me, Z Warriors. Again, I have inflicted a great evil on your world. This time, I will not have a universe-wide genocide happen! I SWEAR IT.

On my own damned blood.

Despite their arrogant claims to the contrary, the human species was indeed an animal. Long before they had staked their claim as the greatest species on Earth and claimed it in it's totality, long before their intelligence grew to the point that they could use simple tools and fire, humans had had to survive by more basic means, by their instincts. And while intelligence had long taken hold as the primary tool that humankind used to live their lives, the instincts were still there, buried deep. Humans who commited terrible crimes were called animals. That was a misjudged term. All humans were animals. Indeed, it was more often the human "qualities" that led to men and women commiting the crimes that branded them as beasts. Instinct alone is not bad. Instincts warped and altered by intelligence, or intelligence too greatly influenced by instinct…that was where the problem lay.

But not many humans thought of that. They thought their instincts were conquered, emerging only at set, appropriate times. Not so. They were always there, one in particular. It was the instinct humans had dubbed "fight or flight". To stand your ground, or run away.

If intelligence had done anything, it had caused this instinct to curse humanity as cowards. It is only when you possess a high intelligence when you can understand just how overmatched you are.

Thus was the situation in Satan City, as the panicked crowd of people hurried down the street, trampling anyone who fell underfoot. Mob mentality had taken over, as every person in the crowd shared a single solitary thought: RUN!

Around them, Satan City was crumbling just like their lives, as the ground shook and buildings exploded into flame. Besides the screams, the air was filled with breaking glass, shattering concrete, creaking and crumpling metal, and a cataphony of other sounds that combined into a requiem of destruction. Like four years ago, history was repeating itself. If the occupants of Satan City could have remembered that nightmarish time, they might have least been thankful that their buildings weren't coming to life and eating them.

But that would have been little consolation to them anyway, and so the mob continued to flee. On their heels were a group of people, mostly women who were utalizing various weapons to cause the chaos. At the forefront of them were five figures who who doing their best to outdo the women in death and destruction.

One of the fleeing men at the back of the mob fell, but as he scrambled to his feet a hand suddenly seized his hair and yanked him up. The man screamed, and then screamed even louder as Spike sank his fangs into his neck. He tried to weakly get away, but Spike's grip was absolute, and eventually he fell, drained to the last drop. Spike raised his head, marvelling in the simple exctasy of drinking blood. Then his eyes snapped open at a sudden whistling noise as two of the larger Valkyries aimed large-barreled weapons at the buildings in front of the fleeing mob and fired, sending twin rockets streaking towards them. The bottom floors exploded, and as the mob screamed, the buildings toppled over. One fell in a different direction and landed on a virtually abandoned street, but the other fell right onto the seething mass of people, crushing and burning them by the hundreds. Spike smiled, a wicked smile.

"Now THIS bleeden rocks! And speaking of bleeding…"Spike said as his hand reached out and snatched one of the people who had managed to escape the building and had stupidly decided to run the other way. As Spike drained her dry, Alexia raised her hand and waved it at the burning building that had fallen down onto the mob. The structure had managed to come down onto the glorified "middle" of the mob, and while the people at the front side were now able to get away, the people on the other side were trapped with nowhere to go. Alexia made their decision for them as she reached out and the small fires that were burning on the wreckage exploded into an inferno of heat. The people closest to the building were cooked alive, and the others had no choice but to head back the other way, away from the heat.

They didn't realize the fire would have been better, as they ran right back into the group that had been chasing them.

"Smorgasboard!" Spike crowed, snatching up a girl who couldn't be any more then ten. She had one second to scream for her mother before Spike bit into her neck. The mother, realizing her daughter was gone, whirled back to find her, and then Tormentor's axe swung down, cleaving her in half vertically. Roaring his joy, Tormentor swung his axe around over and over again, bathing the streets in blood. Spike finished with the girl and tossed her body aside, then grabbed another one and bit deeply.

Those who managed to get past the vampire and demon found themselves in no less trouble. One man who decided to try his luck and attack Alicia got a rude surprise as Alicia grabbed him in mid-blow and lifted him over her head with inhuman strength. The man gasped in surprise and then screamed as he burst into flames, burning to a blackened skeleton in seconds. Alexia dropped the skeleton and placed her arm back to her side, concentrating on feeding the flames back at the building and burning all the people who had managed to survive the crash to ashes.

Adam had the simular bored attitude around him, but he was far more aggressive with it. One man who ran by suddenly got a sharpened bone dagger right through his head so quickly his body kept running a few steps after Adam had withdrawn it. Another man, like the one who had died at Alicia's hands, tried a suicidal attack on Adam that was either driving by fear beyond belief or a kind of insightful acceptence. He had the same luck as Alicia's victim, as Adam intercepted him in mid-blow by pistoning his right hand out and punching right through the man's chest as if the rib cage were made of paper. The man gasped, and then emitted a terrible wet gurgle as Adam pulled his hand back out, yanking out the heart. As the body fell, Adam looked inquisitively at the heart as it managed to throb one last time before it finally realized it was dead.

"Interesting." Adam remarked, and grabbed another person who was running by to see if it happened again.

As the woman in Adam's grasp screamed, Vagane was busy with his own pleasures. A tube expanded from his hoverchair and fired out the blue beam that Trisha and Mr. Popo had gotten to know all too well. The burning energy coiled around some of the fleeing people and electrified them, their eyes exploding as all the liquid in their brain was suddenly superheated. Vagane pressed another button and the tube withdrew as another extended and fired, throwing a small round object into another crowd. The object hit the ground, and then suddenly shot straight up as it opened and fired off scores of short thin, razor sharp metal rods. More people screamed as the protectiles turned them into human pincushions.

Even so, there were some people who managed to get through the terrible five, but when they did they hit the rear guard of the dozens of Valkyries. And no one escaped them. They had been ordered to make sure that no one did, and thus anyone who did escape Vagane and co fell to their merciless hands and weapons.

And eventually there was no one left. Some had managed to flee down alleys or over the ruins of the buildings. A few had managed to even get a manhole cover off and retreat into the sewers, before Vagane had let loose with a blast that had cooked the two people who were fighting to go down next, effectively sealing that way off. Vagane looked around at his work and grinned.

"And they call themselves the omnipotent species…humanity must suffer from one mass delusion." Vagane said as his allies gathered and the Valkyries got to removing the piles of bodies that were in front of them.

"That was great, but this does present a problem." Spike said, indicating the burning building that blocked the road. Vagane smirked and motioned to his women. They quickly finished clearing away the bodies that might have provided a problem and headed quickly behind Vagane and co.

"Not for me." Vagane said, pressing a few more buttons. The cannon extended from the back of his wheelchair and fired at the building. As the wreckage was blown to bits, a storm of deadly sharpnal flew at the group. Spike's eyes went wide, but Vagane calmly pressed a button and suddenly the shrapnal bounced off an invisible bubble that had suddenly surrounded them. As Spike lowered his arms, Vagane pressed another button and the faint shimmering that gave any indication that the bubble was even there faded. Spike noticed that the other three hadn't even reacted to the shrapnal and tried to act like he hadn't either.

"Our way is clear." Vagane said, indicating as the smoke cleared that the wrecked building and the several surrounding it had been blown to pieces. Spike shook his head with a grinning smirk on his face in a "Can you believe this guy".

"Mate, I'm REALLY beginning to like you." Spike said. Then the sounds of destruction were suddenly joined by another sound, that of sirens.

"Ah, the boys in blue."

"I'm going with you." Videl said as Gohan fixed his new pair of sunglasses. He had decided to go in his identity of the Great Saiyaman. He was better known in that guise and he could help people better if they trusted him. Gohan looked at his wife and realized she was dressed in her Great Saiyaman II gear.

"Forget it Videl. You're going to Bulma's where it's safe."

"Bullshit. If she's back, NO WHERE is safe, and you know that as well as anyone, Gohan. You died at her hands. I didn't. I'm coming with you to help."

"But Videl…"

"Nothing you say will change my mind Gohan. I'm not losing you again. This time you might not be wished back."

Gohan sighed inwardly. He knew the argument was lost.

"Ok, you can go, but if I tell you to run, YOU RUN! Got it?"

"Don't fault me if I don't."

"I'm going too." Pan said, joining her mother and father. They looked at her as if she had just suggested she should get a job as a prostitute.

"No Pan. YOU are going to Bulma's and making sure everyone gets there."

"But Dad, I'm way stronger then Mom and…"

"And nothing, Pan! If Agony's returned, that must mean she remembers this world and what happened here. I don't think she'll be very happy if the lone girl who managed to hurt her for real decided to show up again!"

"And if it's not Agony?" Pan shot back.

"GO TO BULMA'S! THAT'S AN ORDER!" Gohan yelled, and Pan shrank back, surprised that her father had actually yelled at her. 

"Ok." She said. Gohan's stern, angry face was replaced by a "thank you" smile, and he rubbed his daughter's head affectionatly.

"Good girl. Don't worry, we'll be fine." Gohan said, and with that he was gone with her mother. Pan watched them fly off into the horizon.

"But if I get half a chance, I'm going after you!"

"MORE BACKUP! MORE BACKUP!" the officer yelled into his radio. He had a second to realize that it was dead, and then he was as Spike yanked him up and drank him dry. Even if the radio had been working, his panic had made him forget that every single officer in Satan City was already at the scene.

If the Shawn Monster had caused a massacre, this was a genocide. Officers found the tactics they had been taught were utterly useless against individuals who could melt bullets in mid-air or act like they were't even there.

Having finally drunk himself to the point that Spike felt like he was going to have to start vomiting up blood to make more room, Spike relieved two dead officers of their guns and let loose into the crowd, most of whom were firing at Tormentor. Tormentor didn't even notice the bullets, as he switched from his terrible axe to twin machete-like swords that seemed to be permantedly bloodstained and laid into the officers, scattering body parts and organs across the street, even as the Valkyries burned down the surrouding buildings. Spike sighed, muttered something that was not nice, and turned around to face an officer who had just noticed him as well.

He was quick, but Spike was quicker, as he aimed his guns at the officer's feet and opened fire.

"Dance! Dance!" Spike laughed. Unfortunately his aim was terrible, and instead of hitting the ground in a way that forced the officer to move his feet crazily in order to avoid getting hit, the bullets instead tore up the officer's feet immediately, and he fell to the ground, screaming in pain, the gun falling from numb fingers.

"Aw man mate, your bloody dancing is terrible." Spike said, and aimed the guns at the officer's head. The policeman's eyes went wide, and then Spike squeezed both triggers.

Dry clicks came from both guns.

"Ah bloody hell!" Spike cursed. The officer looked relieved.

Then Spike simply dropped both guns and stole another from another dead officer. Before the injured officer could react Spike shot him dead.

Then he heard rapid-fire gunfire, and he whirled. Adam's arm had converted itself into a Gatling gun and was rapidly mowing down the remaining officers. Spike made a noise of irritation at this bit of one-upmanship and emptied his gun into the nearest target, wishing he knew how to reload a six-shooter as he hunted for another gun.

Some officers managed to take cover behind their cars and began to return fire. Vagane looked a tad annoyed. This was already taking longer then he liked, and he didn't want to use any Valkyries. They were too busy destroying everything else.

"Tormentor! Go…!" Vagane finally decided to suggest.

"No. Let me." Alicia suddenly said, as she raised her arms. Suddenly the officers had no more cover as their cars exploded as Alicia lit fires within the gas tanks. As their bodies flew, Alicia made more gestures and all the police cars went up in explosive flames. Adam smirked, marvelling at the destruction. Tormentor looked annoyed, or got as close as he could to looking annoyed, that he didn't have anyone left to kill. Spike had nearly been caught in the chain reaction explosion and was none too pleased as he rejoined his group. He gave a dirty look to Alicia, who returned cold eyes to him. Vagane looked at his watch.

"They're taking their time." Vagane remarked, as one Valkyrie used an ultra-sonic force wave weapon to violently shove the burning wrecked cars and bodies of officers out of the way. She quickly fell back behind her master, and the group continued onward onto an empty street.

It wasn't empty for long.

"There they are!" came a cry, and then there was a swelling noise of rage as a sudden huge group of people turned the corner and headed for the group. The group was a ragtag bunch of people, all shapes and sizes. A good many were armed, with various lengths of wood and metal being the most common, although there was more then a few actual weapons mixed in. The only thing that linked the group was their apparent desire to stop the maniacs who were destroying their city. Mob mentality and bravado at it's finest.

"God, are these people getting stupider or just more numerous?" Alicia said with disgust.

"You would think that seeing their law enforcement be destroyed would give them the message." Adam added.

"Humanity is stupid as well as pathetic, my friends. You all know that…and here's a prime example. I assume all it took for this mob to form was its assembly and someone with charisma and a death wish." Vagane remarked, looking at the mob as they advanced. Belinda broke away from her fellow Valkyries and humbly approached her master.

"Lord Vagane, shall we…?"

"No Belinda, hold off. I think I'll use my most recent weapon instead…I have wasted enough of my time as this pathetic people, but that won't stop me from cleansing them from this planet" Vagane smirked cruelly, and lifted his right hand and snapped his fingers once.

The ground in front of Vagane, and also in front of the mob suddenly began to shake violently. The mob stopped dead, their group bravado wavering at this new and unexpected development.

Then the ground exploded upward in a rain of concrete as Goku burst from underneath it, his battle aura now night-black and a wicked look dancing in his eyes. As he floated up into the air, his hands down at his side curled into fists, the nerve of the mob broke, and they began to flee.

"Kill them all, Goku!" Vagane ordered.

Goku raised his hands as they crackled with red ki.

"Your presense displeases Vagane, and it displeases me as well!" Goku roared, and then let loose with a blistering barrage of ki blasts into the fleeing group. The screams arose again as Goku blew the people to oblivion in an expanding series of explosions that consumed all the buildings in the several hundred feet around the people as well. Goku lowered his arms, a cruel smile on his face. The look he wore looked just like Vagane.

As the doctor raised his hands and applauded lightly, Goku looked down at his newly aquired lord.

"Do you wish anything else Master? I can easily wipe this city from the planet, and for you I will do it with a song in my heart." Goku said, speaking in a way he had never spoken more. His voice was laced with brutality and a cruel glee stemmed from destruction. Forget never speaking the way he spoke now. The old Goku COULDN'T have spoken that way.

"Ah Goku. You do me proud, but no. Do not do that yet. My main terget is finally approaching." Vagane said, as yet another panel opened on the arm rests of his hoverchair. A series of thin rods slid out that eventually formed into a small computer monitor that showed a screen that looked simular to radar. Vagane watched as two dots, one marked as special by his computer, approached Satan City.

"The first Omega Trigger approaches. Follow us Goku. We must prepare for them."

Gohan felt the sick feeling start in the pit of his stomach and travel up into his heart as he approached Satan City. He had seen the smoke from far away and had smelt the terrible scent of death and horror as he drew closer, but it took his eyes settling on the city itself for the feeling to finally bloom fully once again. The city named after his father-in-law was going up in flames.

Then he realized something. While it was in ruins, only a section of the metropolis was demolished. Agony had destroyed far more in the time she had. Then again, when she had arrived in Satan City for the first time she had possessed powers that were truly akin to godhood. If she had just arrived back…she was weaker. And possibly killable.

"Oh god Gohan." Videl said, his eyes wide and on the verge of tears as the screams wafted over to her. Her husband stopped above one section of the street, looking around in a way that suggested he couldn't decide what to do. It seemed every building was either collasping or being consumed by flames. People ran in terror or just wandered around dumbly, like zombies. And the worst part was the bodies. They were everywhere, strewn in crazy lines or stacked in in inadvertant piles. Gohan felt his gorge rise and shoved it down. The last thing he needed was to start throwing up. He had to be strong.

"Where is she?" Gohan said, his voice burning with anger. "We have to find her Videl. We can't do anything to help these people that she won't hesitate to do again!"

Gohan flew off to the side, scanning the ground. Eventually, he was able to discern a somewhat path of somewhat that ended in a huge crator. While his mind was already roiling with fear, anger, and grief for the terrible fate that had been visited apon Satan City once again, the back of it stirred in a new unease. The crator's source of creation looked rather…familiar.

Then his eyes laid on them. And what he saw was anything but familiar.

The group was situated at the center of a T-junctioned road, right at the place where the two roads intersected to form the letter shape, near where the crator was. Gohan blinked, looking at the group inquisitively. They seemed to be waiting.

"Gohan, have you…" Videl said as she flew up to him, and then fell into shocked silence as she saw the group too. Numbly, she reached up and removed her helmet to get a better look. Her eyes joined Gohan, but while she was looking at the group as a whole, Gohan's eyes were darting over all the women behind the five people situated at the front. Finally, he felt a pang of relief. She wasn't there.

But whoever these people were, they seemed to be linked to the destruction.

"OH GOD!" Videl said as her eyes lighted on Tormentor, his terrible visage enough to terrify her even from the distance he was at. "Gohan…"

"Relax Videl. She's not there. I don't know who these people are, or what they are, but I can handle them. Stay behind me." Gohan said, and slowly flew forward and down until he landed in front of the group. Tormentor's demonic countenance scared him as well, but he kept his fear hidden. He felt Videl land behind him as he removed his sunglasses, tucking them away.

"So…the Great Saiyaman arrives? We seemed to have picked a time when you were on a coffee break." The man in the hoverchair finally said, looking at the couple. Gohan gritted his teeth.

"Who are you? Why did you have to destroy this city?"

"Because it is right."

Gohan's eyes widened. _What?_

"Humanity is a weak, pathetic race. A human's life accomplishes only the destruction of itself, it's fellow man, and the other creatures, beings, life, that nature, that creation itself, made. Humans fall slave to their petty desires, their hates and fears and supposed "intelligence". They accomplish nothing but waste. They are a scorn to life, and they must be exterminated before they drag everything else down with them, the arrogant scum."

Gohan felt the fear start to slide back. The man who spoke sounded so sure of himself. _He truly believes it. He thinks his judgement is total and absolute, with no error…it's like he thinks he's a blasted god._

"Who do you think you are?" Gohan said, his voice starting to rise. His eyes flashed green. The man was unimpressed.

"I am Dr. Thanatos Vagane."

The name burned right through Gohan's mind as a familiar face remerged, the face of a man who lived to sacrifice, a man who had almost been sacrificed himself on the alter of human evil. He could not believe that the man Erik had spoke of was standing before him.

__

Vagane was the most Corrupt soul there was…

Erik had been right. Vagane's mind was completely mad, caught up in delusions of thinking he had right to pass judgement.

But he was only a man. Gohan could handle that.

But almost as if Vagane had read his last thought, the doctor pressed a few buttons on one of his ever-present panels and his energy cannon slid out of the back of his chair. Gohan tensed and set a battle position, charging some ki to use for defense.

"And I am far more powerful then you think."

Then Vagane pressed another button, and the cannon swung away from Gohan to his right side, finally stopping at a 20-degree angle. Gohan's eyes followed the cannon until he saw where it had settled.

And gasped. His preoccupation with Vagane had kept him from noticing it until then, but he saw it now. Every building around them had been long abandoned, doors left wide open as people had fled the wrath of Vagane and his associates. But this building still had people. Gohan could sense their immensely faint kis. And there was a reason why people were still in the building. Every single window was boarded up with wood, the door barred with metal. Gohan's strong half saiya-jin hearing could even detect faint cries coming from within as the people tried to get out.

Gohan's eyes travelled up and down the short, red brick old-style building before his eyes finally settled on the semi-large stone plaque outside that told what it was.

SATAN CITY CHILDREN'S HOSPICE.

"Where the hell is he?" Bulma cursed, slamming down the phone. It was ironic that after all her efforts to contact everyone, the lone people who had managed to evade her were her husband and daughter. Vegeta had arrived back home, still annoyed over his pointless sidetrip to Ginger City, and had taken off with their daughter to continue their training. Bulma disliked it enough that her husband was teaching her daughter how to fight, and she disliked it even more when they took off into the middle of nowhere to do it. Combined with the fact that Pan had made a frantic call to her saying that there was trouble brewing and that everyone needed to be gathered, the fact that Vegeta had picked that exact time to vanish was causing her to do a lot of disliking.

And she'd run out of options. Trunks had not seen his father, although he had come running when his mother had requested him. Calls to everyone she knew that could have seen Vegeta had yielded nothing as well. Considering that via Tien's wanderings in the wild she had managed to even find Piccolo quickly (he'd picked up Piccolo on his way to Capsole Corp), the fact that Bulma couldn't even locate her own husband and daughter was a source of great irritation.

"Calm down mother." Trunks said, trying to soothe the angry woman. "I'm sure father will turn up soon."

"Yeah, he'll probably waltz in here any minute and demand for you to make him something to eat." Goten cracked, trying to relief the tense atmosphere that permuted the large room the Z Fighters had gathered in. It didn't work, and Goten lasped back into silence. 

Pan stood off in a corner, looking over the room, trying to take her mind off her worries over her parents by taking some pride on how well she had managed to do her task. Virtually everyone was there. Goten, Trunks, Piccolo, Ubuu, Krillian, Eighteen, Tien, Yamcha and Chaozu were all there, as well as herself (obviously). Goten had even brought Marron along, mainly due to her insistance that she come along to help, and Goten wasn't going to waste time argueing with her. Marron had done some training with her parents and her husband, so she wouldn't be dead weight, but Pan was sure that didn't keep her uncle's mind from worrying. Love did that to you.

"Where are they?" Pan asked, heading over to the computer console that allowed Gohan to contact Bulma via his watch. Bulma could see the worry in the child's eyes.

"I'm sure he's fine, Pan. He'll probably call in any second and say it was just a terrorist attack or something." Bulma lied. She knew it wasn't something so simple. Nothing in her life ever was.

"No…don't…"Gohan begged as he realized Vagane was aiming his cannon right at the comfort home. "I'll surrender…just don't do it…"

Vagane snorted in disgust.

"Pathetic. Your human side overwhelms your superior saiya-jin side. Instead of using your stength to destroy me, you offer yourself as a sacrifice. You're as weak as the humans you foolishly protect, Gohan. It sickens me."

Despite his fear for the children, Gohan could feel the anger burning down inside him. Not only was Vagane threatening helpless children, children, Gohan was sure, that he had insured were helpless (he doubted the boards and metal blocking all the exits from the building had appeared out of thin air), but he was mocking Gohan for trying to protect them. The rage began to build.

"It sickens you? THERE ARE CHILDREN IN THERE!" Gohan suddenly yelled, his ki rising suddenly.

Vagane smiled.

"I know."

And then he pressed the button. Gohan's eyes snapped wide open.

"NO!" Gohan screamed as the black beam blasted outward at the building.

But he was too late to do anything. 

There was a faint but audible combined scream as the beam hit the building, and then it collasped in a hail of wreckage. All Gohan could do was watch as the building fell, snuffing out the lives within.

Gohan blinked, tears springing briefly to his eyes, and then he turned back to Vagane. Behind him, Videl was making strange noises that resulted in a combination of shock and grief at the murders of the people within the hospice, but Gohan paid it no mind. His attention was focussed solely on Vagane. He ignored his wife, ignored the various strange figures around Vagane who had stood and watched all this silently, ignored all the women gathered behind Vagane, all holding the weapons they had used to destroy Satan City, looking only at the man in the wheelchair, who looked back at him, a smile of evil glee on his face.

"Why…"Gohan hissed in pure rage, as his ki continued to build.

"Why? It is the right thing, Gohan. Humanity, as pathetic as it is, is also immensely arrogant. It thinks that it can tame nature, take the rules of survival and warp them to do their bidding. They are idiotic fools, and yet they think they can do this. We both know what a hospice is, Gohan. It's a place where people, in this case children, with uncurable and fatal conditions, go to die peacefully. Survival, the rules of life, say that those who are too weak, too ill, too crippled to live are to die, and to die as soon as possible, and be eaten by the strong. The weak are not supposed to live on and waste creation's resources with their pointless existence. But humanity is arrogant enough to try and defy life. To defy the way things are supposed to be. That building defies the way things are supposed to be. Humanity does not deserve to survive, but the children in that building…they deserved life even less. It is what is right."

That was it, Gohan could no longer turn away the flow of rage as it exploded through him, shooting straight to the core of his being as his hair began to rise up and his eyes began to flash green.

"**MONSTER! WHAT RIGHT HAVE YOU TO DECIDE WHO LIVES OR DIES!?!?!?!?!?" **Gohan roared, the ground around him beginning to crack as the earth rumbled under his power.

Vagane only returned a gaze of emotionless righteousness.

"What right have you to tell me that I can't?"

The words sank into Gohan, and then he lost it. He screamed as he went SSJ2 and leapt at Vagane, planning to put his fist right through Vagane's chest and tear his evil black heart out and burn it to ash. At least this evil would die.

Then a black blur suddenly leapt from the building above Vagane and streaked downward, and Gohan found himself intercepted in mid-blow with one of the hardest punches he had ever felt. Gohan's quest toward Vagane ended as he flew backwards at an upward angle, accompanied by his wife's scream of horror. He smashed into an office building, and as glass from broken windows rained down around him, Gohan shook his head while trying to clear the cobwebs. As his turban fell off his head and was blown away by the wind, his eyes quested, looking for what had hit him.

He wished he hadn't when he did, when he saw the familiar figure floating above Vagane. And while he wore the orange gi that he always seemed to be wearing and his black hair was spiked in the same usual style, his face was not the same. Gohan yanked himself from the twisted steel that had crumbled around him and flew slowly back, trying to believe it.

"Fa…father?"

"Gohan." Goku said with a cruel smile. The lone word slapped Gohan across the face. The voice that had come up was not his father's voice. Even when his father spoke in a deadly serious tone, there always always a trace of the father that was always smiling, clueless and supposedly stupid. That trace wasn't there anymore. All that was left was a voice that was edged with evil, violence, and cruel glee.

"Father…why…why?"

Vagane smirked his own cruel grin.

"Goku, do you have any qualms on destroying your own child, the fruit of your loins?" Vagane asked. Gohan's eyes went as wide as saucers.

"If it pleases you master…I will do it with relish." Goku said. Gohan began to shake as uncontrollable emotion that could not be named began to flow through him. If anything, it was a combination of grief and disbelief.

And then the unknown emotion was blown away by a physical feeling, that of pain, as Goku suddenly blasted forward and punched his son in the face again. Gohan felt pain blossum and burn across his face as his right cheekbone was cracked. Videl screamed again. For the past minutes she too had been frozen with disbelief, first unable to believe that Vagane had destroyed the hospice with such lack of caring, and then that her father-in-law was actually against them. It was virtually unconceivable. Son Goku was a kind, gentle, caring man who loved his family more then anything, except for fighting.

That man was gone, and as Gohan spun around in mid-air, clutching his wounded cheek as he floated in mid-air and listened as his father chuckled cruelly, you could see that he was beginning to realize that as well. All that was left was a new being that had no love of anything, except one thing: destruction.

Gohan turned slightly, and then suddenly Goku blasted forward again and unleashed a furious barrage of attacks. Gohan threw himself into his best defensive formation, but even that barely withstood the sheer force of the assault that his father was unleashing apon him. In his heart, Gohan knew why. Who knew how Gohan fought better then his father? He had taught him a good deal of it.

"Videl, RUN!" Gohan screamed as he tried to fend Goku off.

"But Gohan…!"

"RUN! TELL-ARGH!" Gohan screamed as Goku slipped inside his guard and blasted him with a cracking uppercut that rang around the streets like a blast of thunder. Gohan flew into the air and then Goku dematerlized and reappeared above his son, bringing up his foot and slamming it down into the centre of Gohan's back. Blood vomited from Gohan's mouth as he smashed back into the ground, his impact blowing away the ground to form a small crator. 

As Vagane and his allies raised their hands and applauded with mock politeness, Videl realized that she had no choice. She had to flee, and bring back help. It wasn't Agony, but it was just as bad. She whirled around.

And then all her air went out of her in a gasp of pain as Adam slammed a fist right into the centre of her solar plexus. Videl had one short moment to realize she should have noticed the huge hybrid had suddenly been missing from Vagane's side, and then she was swallowed by the darkness.

"Pathetic. I'm beginning to notice that truly is a quality you humans all share." Adam said, as he caught Videl's falling unconscious form and slung it over his shoulder. As he began to calmly walk to Vagane, Gohan managed to pull himself to his knees, his hands out in a pleading gesture.

"Videl…!" he said. Then he heard the noise of his father landing, and he turned around to face him as Adam returned to Vagane's side, handing Videl off to the Valkyries.

"You were right mate, I sure as hell couldn't hang with these sods, but watching this guy beat the holy hell out of them is almost as good." Spike smirked. Vagane did not answer, as he watched Goku with admiration.

"Father…"Gohan said, looking up into his father's dark face and now-cruel eyes. "This isn't you! A madman has taken control of you! You're stronger then that! I'm your son! Please, for the love that we share, snap out of it!"

The darkness in Goku's face suddenly faded a bit, and Gohan felt a surge of hope as confusion suddenly bloomed in Goku's eyes.

"Gohan…for the love that we share…"Goku began, as he slowly looked over to Vagane.

Then his head snapped back, as the darkness flowed back into his face and the evil reappeared in his eyes, spreading to his smile and then manifesting itself around the saiya-jin as a black battle aura exploded around him, sending a storm of pebbles and shards of rock flying around.

"…I will WEEP ON YOUR GRAVE!"

As Goku brought his hands forward, Gohan screamed, a scream of despair and fear.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!"

The message suddenly exploded out of the computer, almost causing Bulma to fall out of her chair. Scrambling to her feet, Bulma tried to open up the return mike as the Z Warriors, drawn by the noise, began to gather around the woman.

"Gohan?" Bulma asked.

"Father!" Pan said. The scrambled message that had come through had not sounded good.

"…ot her! Help! Monster! Has con…AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!"

And then the mike went dead. Bulma frantically pressed at buttons to try and get something, anything more from Gohan. But it was useless. Whatever had happened to Gohan, it had rendered the radio in his watch useless.

"Guys, I…"

And then she heard the breaking noise and looked up as Pan vanished out of the hole in the roof she had made. For a moment, everyone stared after her.

Then Goten took charge.

"Everyone after her! She's not going to Satan City alone!"

And then Bulma was pushed back as half a dozen battle aura flared to life around the various fighters and they all took off after Pan, Goten and Marron leading the charge. Within seconds, Bulma was alone. Slowly, she righted her chair and sat back down in it, turning around to her main computer. It would take a little programming skill, but she could quickly set it so she could follow the battle, as best she could, from afar.

"Oh guys…I hope…please be alright, all of you…Vegeta, dammit, where are you?"

The moonlight suddenly washed around the female as she leapt twenty feet up into the air with seemingly no effort and perched herself on the huge rock that was jutting upward out of the earth, placed there eons ago by natural forces. Her eyes, a lovely shimmering green, blinked as she saw the large clouds of smoke rising from the city off in the distance.

"There."

The female leapt off the rock and the moonlight shone off her daggers one last time before she sprinted off, the shadows swallowing her once again.

It did not take the group long to arrive at Satan City, and it took even less time to find and follow the path of destruction. But there they hit a brick wall, as it ended at a T-shaped junction, and there seemed to be nobody there. There were clear signs of a battle, as illustrated by the wrecked buildings and various patches of shattered concrete. But there wasn't a single soul around to claim responsablity.

"What happened here?" Goten said, as he landed with his wife. Behind him, the other Z fighters landed, all of them looking around. Pan landed next to him.

"Where's my dad? Where's my dad?" Pan said, the panic rising with each repatition.

"Something's wrong here. Very wrong." Piccolo said. His voice was calm, but his soul was turbulant. There was a tangible sense of evil in the air, so strong he could almost taste it. And it tasted bitter.

"Tien…" Chaozu said, as he clutched the pant leg of his friend. "I can sense it too…" The short fighter said before trailing off, not wanting to say audibly that he was scared. But Tien picked it up anyway, and he rubbed his friend's head in an attempt to assure him.

"Don't worry. No matter what, I'll be by your side. That's what friends are for."

"Guys, I dunno about you, but I think we missed the show…" Trunks began to say.

Then the laugh suddenly came out of nowhere. It was quiet at first, but it eventually swelled into a roarious tirade.

Then the air shimmered in front of the Z Fighters, and suddenly the group reappeared, fronted by Vagane as he continued to laugh. The Z Fighters stared at him even as they all assumed battle positions.

Then Krillian glanced up and saw it.

"Oh…my…kami…"

His words attracted the attention of all the warriors, as they looked at him and then looked up to see what he had seen.

The shock went through all of them as they saw Goku floating there, holding a green, lifeless figure over his shoulder. As all of them finally settled their gaze on him, he laughed and tossed the bundle down towards them like a bag of garbage. It hit the ground in front of Goten and Pan, bounced once, turning over in the process, and then lay still.

"DADDY!" Pan screamed, running to the battered and broken body of her father.

"Bro!" Goten said, running to Pan's side.

"Daddy…daddy…daddy…" Pan said over and over, rocking back and forth slightly, as Goten checked his brother. He felt a slight surge of relief.

"He's alive…but barely…god, we need to get him help…"

"I think you will be the ones who need help." Vagane chuckled. Goten's eyes were drawn away from the terrible injuries of his brother back to the man in front of him. His eyes went from him to his father.

"No…not possible…dad…oh dad…why?"

"Not grandpa."

Goten looked at his niece.

"What, Pan?"

"I didn't tell you…I think because I didn't believe it…that it was all a bad dream…but that's not grandfather. Not anymore. Something evil has seized control of him."

Goten looked back up at his father, who floated there, his arms crossed and a bored look in his eyes, and then looked back apon Vagane as the anger began to seethe in him.

"You did this." He hissed.

"Oh, how brillant of you. Humanity is redeemed by your genius observation." Vagane said mockingly, his cruel smile back on his face. As if they were linked, Goku smiled cruelly as well.

Then Goten felt a sudden and dramatic rise in Pan's ki, and as he looked at her a blue battle aura exploded around her as she set her legs and continued to power up, her fists cletched so tightly her nails bit into the tough leather of her gloves.

"You hurt my daddy…you…you…I'LL KILL YOU!" Pan screamed, and suddenly launched into the air and flew right at her grandfather, putting all of her power into a pistoning punch that she slammed right between Goku's eyes.

Goku didn't move an inch. Pan drew back, horrified both at her failure and at the rage that had caused her to attack her grandfather, and Goku smirked.

"Was that supposed to hurt?"

And then Pan gasped as Goku suddenly slashed his foot out and slammed it right into her gut, doubling her over. But as she began to crumble, Goku reached out and grabbed her by the front of her shirt and pulled her up. As the Z Warriors watched in horror, Goku smashed his fist across Pan's face, blood spraying from her as he did so, before he brought his hand backward and did it again. Then he slammed a knee into her stomach, and as Pan let loose with a small cry of pain, Goku reared her above his head and hurled her sideways into a skyscaper. She crashed through it, and then Goku thrust out his hands and sent several ki blasts into it, collasping it onto his granddaughter.

"Pathetic." Goku remarked, and floated down slowly until he was closer to Vagane but still some distance away from him. The Z Warriors continued to stare in stunned silence, not believing that it was Goku that was opposing them, much less what he had done to Pan.

Krillian was the first to find his voice.

"Goku…why?"

"Sensei…why?" Ubuu echoed.

"Son…" Piccolo said, unable to belief how merciless and cruel Goku had been in his disposal of Pan.

"Father…"Goten said, and his voice held the most horror.

Vagane laughed again.

"Son Goku no longer exists. All that is left is the mightiest saiya-jin that ever lived, and he lives for one reason: to serve me. Goku?"

"Yes master?" Goku replied.

"Destroy them all."

"Yes………YYYYYYEEEEEEEEEAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Goku roared as he thrust his arms down. The Z Fighters felt a surge in ki so strong it nearly fried their minds as black and red lightning began to dance on Goku's body and build in intensity until they wrapped around him in a red-black energy ball. Then the ball exploded outward, and everyone gasped as Goku was revealed again, the red fur, tail, and long black hair flowing around him in the magnificence of the SSJ4 state.

"For so many years I have been saving your weak, incompetent lives, all of you relying on me, sacrificing me, so that you could live. I grow tired of it. LET'S SEE JUST HOW STRONG YOU ARE WITHOUT ME!" Goku bellowed.

And then he blasted towards the Z Warriors at top speed. Even with their far beyond human reflexes, most of them couldn't do anything as he plowed through them and sent them flying. 

"Marron, hide-UGH!" Goten gasped as his father smashed into him, sending him flying backwards and imbedding him into a brick wall. Marron gasped and started to protest, but then she looked at SSJ4 Goku's mad eyes, she realized her husband was right, this was way out of her league. As she fled into a nearby alley, Goku turned those mad eyes on Yamcha. Yamcha blinked.

Yamcha lasted less then a second as Goku uppercutted him in mid-blink and then used his other hand to deliver a cracking jab, sending the former desert bandit flying. He bounced off the wreckage of the hospice, causing him to go angled into the air before he crashed through the twelth story windows of an office building and flew out the other side. As his unconscious body made a one way trip back into the ground, Goku was already whirling to the attack again, leaping forward and slamming his heel into Tien's face, before twirling his body in mid-air and slashing his other leg up so the sole of his boot slammed across Tien's face. All three of Tien's eyes managed to cross as her flew sideways and crahsed into the lobby of another building, not moving when he finally lay still.

"Tien!" Chaozu cried, looking as his friend flew off and then back to SSJ4 Goku as the mad saiya-jin's eyes settled on him. He clenched his fists. _He may be a million times stronger then me, but I will at least TRY!_

And with that, the mime-like warrior leapt forward.

Laughing, Goku caught Chaozu with one hand, lifted him up so he was face to face with him, and brought his hand up and drew back his finger, smacking Chaozu with a flick to the forehead. But it was enough to send Chaozu flying back with a cry of pain, before he crashed into the same lobby Tien had gone into and slumped, unconscious as well, next to his fallen friend.

The fact that Goku had mercilessly taken down three of their numbers in as many seconds made Piccolo able to snap out of it much quicker then the other Z Fighters. He had called Son Goku a friend, but he had also once called him an enemy, and as he snapped back to the latter style of thinking. He had to, for the sake of himself, his other friends, and the world. 

His mind sent, Piccolo brought his fore and middle fingers up next to his forehead as energy crackled to life on them.

"MAKKANKOSAPPO!" Piccolo screamed, and aimed his fingers at Goku's red-furred back, hoping for Goku's sake it would be quick and with little pain.

But as the screw-shaped beam fired, Goku turned around with a cruel smirk on his face and brought up his hand. As the blast flew at him, Goku reached out…

…and CAUGHT IT. Piccolo's jaw dropped as Goku somehow grabbed his attack like it was a length of pipe that Piccolo had thrown at him. Goku lifted up his hand and looked at the Makkankosappo blast as it burned in his hand.

"You call this an attack?" Goku asked mockingly.

And then he threw the attack back at Piccolo, and Piccolo screamed as it burned through the metal plating in his cloak and tore through his shoulder, before it exploded outward through the back of it and drilled through the building behind Piccolo before the Makkankosappo detonated, blowing it up. As Piccolo fell to his knees, clutching his shoulder, Goku suddenly blurred into existence in front of him.

"That's payback for the TB." Goku smirked, and snapped his foot up in a snap kick, slamming it into Piccolo's chest and driving all the air out of him in a gasp. As Piccolo reared up and fell on his back, trying to clear the stars in his vision and block out the pain, Goku was turning around again, his eyes settling on Krillian. Krillian saw him at the same time, and his eyes filled with fear.

"Goku, NO! I'm your best friend! We grew up-"

"Forget it Krillian, Goku's gone. We can't show him any mercy." Eighteen said as she leapt past her husband. Krillian made his decision. He didn't want to fight his friend, but evidence was clearly weighing against the fact that the saiya-jin that stood before him was the same man. And he wasn't going to let his wife and daughter get hurt.

So Krillian leapt at Goku as well, drawing level with Eighteen and joining her as they both unleashed a furious barrage of blows at the same time. But they couldn't hit anything, as Goku blurred away from every punch and kick they threw. This futile dance continued back and forth across the street.

"This grows boring." Goku sighed.

Then he suddenly thrust both his fists out, driving them into Krillian and Eighteen on each side of him. As both of them doubled over, gasping in pain, and blood pouring from Krillian's mouth, Goku leapt up and snapped both his legs up in a full mid-air split kick, the toes of his boots slamming into both of the couple. Eighteen flew backwards through another building and came to rest on the wreckage that had buried Pan. Krillian flew upward at an angle, and then Goku zapped up above him. As Krillian flew up, Goku flew down, driving his knee into Krillian's back and using it to shove Krillian all the way back down into the street. The concrete shattered as Goku drove Krillian into it, and then Goku used the momentum to bounce off and flip in mid-air, landing almost delicately in the middle of the street. Vagane clapped politely again. Tormentor, Adam, and Alicia looked rather bored, both the hyrbid and demon looking like they'd like a piece of the action. Spike, on the other hand, was getting more and more into it with every Z Warrior Goku brutally dispatched.

Goku didn't have time to respond to the applause, as he sudenly leapt upward into the air. A second later the ground where he had been standing exploded, and as Goku looked down with a little surprise, Ubuu lowered his arms as he clenched his fists.

"Forgive me teacher." The mohawked teenager said, and then blasted into the air at his former sensei, both fists out.

Goku took the hit right in the chest, but he didn't even notice. Ubuu gasped, and Goku smirked.

"They say there is no such thing as a bad student, only a bad teacher. Clearly that is wrong." Goku said, and slashed his fist out, splitting Ubuu's lip with a cracking jab. As Ubuu began to flip backwards in the air, Goku whirled and slammed a reverse heel hook kick against Ubuu's back, sending his former student crashing back into the ground face-first. Ubuu's body spasmed, and then he tried to get to his feet as he vomited up blood.

Goku zapped back to the ground and began running towards Ubuu. But there were two warriors between him and Ubuu, Piccolo and Krillian. Both were also trying to get to their feet.

In the narrow street, they never had a chance. As Goku ran at Piccolo, he thrust his arm out in a cracking clothesline, knocking Piccolo off his feet and finally knocking the Namek out of it. As Krillian, with far more pain, also tried to regain his feet, Goku leapt and spun in mid-air, catching Krillian in the face with a leaping reverse roundhouse. Krillian spun around in the air six times before he crashed back to earth, his human body far too damaged to continue. With Krillian down, that only left Ubuu, and as Goku charged at the warrior he charged a black ki ball on his hand. As Ubuu finally made it to his hands and knee, Goku reared back his leg and brought his foot up into Ubuu's chest, sending him into the air with a scream. As Ubuu flew up above him, Goku thrust his hand up and threw the black ki blast into Ubuu's torso, and Ubuu's scream continued as the ki blast carried him upward to the level to the tops of the skyscraper before it exploded. A second later Ubuu's limp smoking body crashed back to earth at Goku's feet. Goku snorted in disgust.

"Get him!"

Goku turned around as his son and Trunks, their bodies crackling with golden energy as they both went SSJ2 and leapt at Goku. Goku suddenly found himself on the defensive as the twin hybrids unleashed an onslaught of blows that made Krillian and Eighteen's seem like nothing. A windstorm whipped up as the three dueled, lashing the combatants and Vagane and his fellow observers. However, as Goku, Goten, and Trunks fought into the air, it was clear that Goten and Trunks's advantage was vanishing by the second, as Goku was blocking nearly all of their blows, and the ones that landed didn't seem to be doing anything.

"Goten, this isn't working! We need to break off and AHHHHHH!" Trunks screamed as Goku blurred aside and then slammed his elbow into Trunks's forehead, sending the son of Vegeta spiralling backwards. Goten flew back before his father could get his hands on him, regrouping with his staggering friend.

"You're right, we have no choice!" Goten said as he set his body in a certain position. "Let's do it Trunks. FUUUUU-"

"I DON'T THINK SO!" Goku yelled, as he zapped forward. Trunks tried to snap out of the Fusion position to defend himself, but it was too late, as Goku's fist smashed into his face, breaking his nose and sending him flying backwards into the night sky. Goten's eyes filled with fear.

"Father, NO!"

Then Goku's fist smashed across Goten's face, knocking him groggy, and then in a furious combination of punches and kicks, Goku pummeled his younger son into a bloody mess. As Goten's body finally slumped, Goku spun in a counterclockwise circle and smashed his foot into Goten's back, sending him crashing back into the ground, just a few feet away from his battered brother.

"GOTEN!" Marron screamed, her love overriding her reason as she came out of hiding and knelt by her husband's body.

"Oh kami…where did he keep his emergency senzu bean…I knew he had one…please…kami?" Marron said as a shadow fell over her. As she turned to look, a fist struck her between the eyes, and all thoughts faded from her mind as she was knocked out.

"Stupid bitch." Spike said, hoisting Marron up on his shoulder and carrying her back to the Valkyries. Vagane smiled.

"We have the Omega Triggers. Excellent. Now we just have to wait for Goku to finish off that last insect." Vagane said, as Marron's unconscious form was placed by Videl's, even as up in the air, Trunks was recovering from Goku's attack and trying to take on the SSJ4 by himself.

He may as well have tried to find the bunyip, as all his efforts were stopped cold as Goku pistoned out his hand and drove it into his throat, cutting off his air and nearly destroying his windpipe. As Trunks agonized, Goku spun, smashing Trunks across the face with a mid-air reverse hook kick and roundhouse. Trunks reeled, and then Goku wrapped his hands around Trunks's throat and began to squeeze.

"I always save my best for last." Goku smirked, as he began to crush Trunks's throat. As the darkness began closing in, Trunks's thoughts began to blur. _How ironic…our demise comes from the one who always saved us from it…_

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY SON!"

The blast took Goku in the forehead, and he flew backwards, releasing his grip on Trunks. Trunks had enough energy and sense left to be grateful, and then he hit the ground and lay there.

Goku shook his head, the attack having been more annoying then painful, and looked at the building where the voice had come, knowing what he would see.

Vegeta stood there, his hair resplendid in gold that seemed to light the night sky as brightly as the sun itself. He smirked with one corner of his mouth. Behind him, Bra stood at the ready behind her father, dressed in a simular outfit like the black bodysuit he wore.

"Kakarott." Vegeta said.

"My prince." Goku replied with heavy sarcasm.

"So, at last you think like a true saiya-jin. I have been waiting for this day. Now I can finally and truthfully claim my destined supremacy over you!" Vegeta said, as he set his arms and legs.

"But father…" Bra said.

"Stay out of this sweetie. This is between eternal rivals. Rivals who can finally war as saiya-jins were meant to war!" Vegeta yelled, and then screamed as red lightning crackled to life on his body and wrapped around him. When it was done, Vegeta also stood proudly as a SSJ4.

"Um mate…that guy can go all furry and apey as well, this could be a problem…" Spike said to Vagane as they watched the new development.

"Have no fear Spike. Vegeta is going to get a nasty surprise."

Vegeta screamed and blasted forward at Goku, and the two began to battle, the forces coming off of them so strong all the buildings that were still standing roofs began to crumble, including the one that Bra was standing on. She cursed and threw up a ki shield as Goku finally got a hit in, driving his foot into Vegeta's stomach. Vegeta's face contorted in pain, but he countered with a fierce punch that sent Goku flying backward. As he crashed through the windows of the top floors of the building Vagane and co were standing in front of, Vegeta growled in a way that eventually became a roar as he let loose with a barrage of gold energy blasts. The top of the building vanished in explosions, and the building began to collaspe. Vagane activated his shields as debris began to rain down on the group, the glass and rock bouncing off the invisible force field. Vegeta continued his onslaught until the building was swaying on its foundation, then he drew his hands back as twin gold ki balls enveloped them.

"Here's a new attack I've been developing just for you, Kakarott! NEO FINAL FLASH!" Vegeta bellowed, and thrust his hands forward as gigantic gold twin beams exploded from each hand, all four twisting and combining into one mega-blast that struck the top of the building. The building collasped like it was made of matchsticks, as the force wave caused all the surrounding building to collaspe in the same way. Vagane and his allies were forced to move forward to avoid the building even as smoke billowed down and enveloped them.

Vegeta smirked. It was done. There was utterly no way…

Then his jaw dropped as the smoke cleared to reveal Goku floating there, not a hair out of place. Vegeta's jaw dropped so much it looked like it was going to hit the ground.

"No…how…how…our powers as SSJ4 are virtually equal! I used everything I had on that! You should be dead!" Vegeta gasped.

"Did you think it would be that easy, Vegeta?" came a voice from the ground, and Vegeta glanced down as the smoke cleared to see Vagane there.

"As you might have guessed, Goku is no longer the same man. Now he obeys me, and thinks like I do! And that way of thinking is far different then his old ways. Now, he truly taps his power as a saiya-jin. The old Son Goku always held back. His ideals always crippled him, no matter the situation. How could he avoid it? He was raised as a human! But now, he truly thinks like a saiya-jin, a pure one, one like you used to be before the human species corrupted and weakened you! Now he commands the power of saiya-jin royalty! You can't hope to defeat him! Goku, I tire of this! DESTROY HIM!"

"NO! I WILL DESTROY HIM FIRST!" Vegeta screamed as he leapt forward, driving his mightest punch into the center of Goku's face. Goku's head snapped backwards as his body began to twist from the impact, and Vegeta felt a surge of glee within him. _He lies! I can defeat him!_

Then Goku's body suddenly blurred away. Vegeta's eyes filled with confusion.

Then he felt Goku blur into existence behind him. He tried to turn.

The kick that Goku lanced into Vegeta's chest was so fierce that the impact practically bulged out of Vegeta's back. Vegeta gasped as blood welled up and spilled out out of his mouth, and then Goku slammed his fist across Vegeta's face, breaking the saiya-jin's nose with a twisting snap. Goku brought his other fist into Vegeta's gut, drove a knee into his chest, and then whirled as he brought both his legs up, slamming both feet across Vegeta's face. As stars exploded in Vegeta's vision, he began to fall, only to have Goku reach out and grab him by the fur on his chest. Raising Vegeta up so they were face to face, Goku smirked with one corner of his mouth like Vegeta used to do, and as Vegeta's eyes filled with shock and horror, Goku brought up his other hand as it glowed with blue ki.

"Goodbye, "my prince"." Goku said, as thrust his hand backwards. "KAMEHAMEHA!"

The one-handed blast enveloped Vegeta at point-blank range, sending Vegeta, screaming all the way, down into the ground, before he struck the concrete and the blast detonated. Satan City shook as a mushroom cloud rose up from where Vegeta had been. Goku laughed.

"I was always the true saiya-jin elite Vegeta. Maybe now you will accept that you will never be stronger then me." Goku said, as he looked down at Vegeta's battered body spawled at the bottom of the huge crator. Vegeta opened his eyes slightly, back to normal, and groaned as he tried to pull himself to his feet.

Vagane clapped.

"Well done Goku…"

"BASTARD!"

The female voice attracted both Vagane and Goku's attention, and as they looked, Bra rose into the air. She had stood by and watched them beat and humilate her father, the father she had never been so close to in her life. And she had never been so angry as well.

"YOU…HURT…MY FATHER!" Bra screamed, as her purple hair flared up and blasted into a golden hair style that she had never worn in her life as she went SSJ for the first time. "I'LL BEAT YOU MYSELF!"

Bra, golden battle aura shining around her, blasted at Goku, planning to rip him to shreds.

And ran right into Goku's knee as he thrust it out. Bra gasped, and then her charge, her desire, and everything else was knocked as dead as her senses as Goku slammed his elbow down on the top of her head. As she slumped, Goku grabbed her body.

"No!" Vegeta tried to scream as he got a surge of adrenaline. He got to his feet and managed to pull himself out of the crator as Goku watched. Goku smiled evily.

"I can't count the times you tried to kill my son, Vegeta. Call this payback." Goku smirked, and then thrust his hands up, holding Bra above his head, planning to bring her back right down onto his knee.

Then Trunks's arm snaked around Goku's throat as he locked on a chokehold from behind.

"I won't let you hurt my sister!" he growled, squeezing for all he was worth. Goku staggered slightly, then smirked.

"Well, if it displeases you so much, I'll do the same to you!"

And then he threw Bra's limp body into the air, and at the same time he snapped his leg up, the limb going up so high he managed to kick Trunks behind him. Trunks's grip was broken as he reeled backward, and then Goku whirled around and blasted the hyrbid with two cracking punches, knocking him out again. Goku grabbed Trunks's body before it could fall, and then reached up and caught Bra's body.

"Hey Vegeta, CATCH!"

And then Goku hurled Bra and Trunks down into their father, who was knocked back into the crator, tumbling to the bottom with his son and daughter as all three came to a rest at the bottom. Goku laughed and began to power up.

"It's time I finished this! KA-ME-HA…"

"Wait Goku! That's enough!"

Goku looked down at his master.

"Enough, my lord?'

"Yes. You have wasted time and energy enough on these pitiful fools. It will be far more saitisfying to let them live, broken and humilated, knowing they stand not a chance against you. Instead, I have a new task for you. Wipe this city from the face of the earth!"

"I will do it master!" Goku said, as he turned and faced a section of Satan City. Laughing, he completed his power up.

"CHOU KAMEHAMEHA!" Goku screamed, throwing the huge blue ki blast. The blast struck the middle of the city and a massive explosion consumed it, burning all the buildings and everything else to ash. Laughing, Goku spun around slowly as he let loose with hundreds of ki blasts from his hands. The beams spiralled off in different directions and laid waste to the city. Goku laughed again, his joy mirrored in Vagane as Satan City went up in flames. Millions still resided in it, unable to escape in time, and they were consumed by the flames as well in a cataphony of screams.

Vagane smiled at the destruction.

"Come my friends. We have…"

"No…"

Vagane and everyone else's eyes were drawn to the noise, as Gohan began to stir. Despite his terrible injuries, the hybrid began to crawl towards Vagane, the broken and defeated bodies of his friends and allies strewn around him.

"Won't…let you…take Videl…"Gohan whispered pitifully. Vagane sighed.

"Such heroic nonsense. Tormentor, please take care of him."

"Yesssss…."Tormentor said with glee as he unsheathed his axe, striding over to Gohan. Gohan watched as his shadow fell over him. He couldn't do anything.

"Don't worry about dying, child. You'll live on, in eternal torment, as a part of me!" Tormentor growled gleefully, and slowly raised his axe.

"Videl…I'm sorry…"Gohan sobbed as tears sprung to his eyes. Not because he was going to die, but because he had failed his wife. 

Tormentor's axe slashed down.

"CHAOS FLARE!"

And then Tormentor screamed as the black fireball suddenly slashed through him, cutting off his hand at the wrist. As his terrible axe fell to the ground, narrowly missing Gohan, he roared and clutched the stump as black blood oozed into the ground.

"IMPOSSIBLE! NO BLADE CAN CUT MY SKIN!" Tormentor roared in pain and anger. Everyone else was as surprised as the demonic malevolence, and their eyes all followed the black fireball as it whirled around and headed back where it came from. As they followed the fireball, they saw it. 

The figure stood on the top of one of the buildings that was somehow still standing, perched on its edge with perfect balance. As the fireball spun back to it, it turned back into a long dagger that flew into a small hand.

Everyone stared, unable to believe it. Spike, dumbfounded, was the first to speak.

"A GIRL?"

The woman looked down on the group, murder in her eyes. She looked simular to Valkyries in build, with a very slim and alluring figure that was also very well muscled and looked to be in phenominal shape. However, this girl did not have the short cut the Valkyries had. Instead, her raven-black locks tumbled down past her shoulders, nearly reaching past her hips and down to her feet. She had a face that looked very delicate and fragile, as well as a dark lovliness around her. She was a beautiful woman.

But her face's looks was ruined somewhat by the anger that was in it, especially in her eyes, a brilliant green. She raised her other hand, revealing that she had the twin of the dagger that had somehow managed to cut off Tormentor's hand.

Vagane blinked.

"Well, well, well. The Failure actually did decide to bring help. I thought for sure he would cut her out, but it appears I was wrong."

"Who is that?" Adam asked quietly. Gohan managed to crane his head for one look at the mysterious woman, and then he passed out again. Vagane smirked.

"I failed to mention her, didn't I?" Vagane said, as the woman leapt off the roof and landed on the street, the impact causing her to fall to her knees. Gracefully, she raised herself up and once again faced Vagane and co.

"This is the one the Failure took under his wing some time ago. My allies, meet Celeste Pearl. I believe she calls herself Retribution."

"You have no right to speak my name." The newly named Celeste said. She had a melodic voice, but it was laced with anger and hatred.

"And I thought the Failure wouldn't bring help. I guess he decided that you had to die too."

"Monster. I won't be the one dying." Celeste hissed. She had been holding her weapons so the hilts faced out, the blades curled inward towards her, but she she spoke she flipped them over so the blades faced outward. Tormentor, his axe once again on his back, rejoined Vagane, holding his tore off hand in his other hand. The pain in his face was gone, replaced totally by anger.

"How did her knives cut off my hand? No metal can pierce my skin!"

"Not to worry Tormentor, I can easily reattach it. But those daggers aren't any normal daggers, Tormentor. Those are the Ruined Soul Blades. They're not forged from metal, they're forged from rage. This girl before us uses manifestation of her pathetic emotions to fight, for lack of true power."

"You will see just how much power I possess, Vagane. Erik told me all about you, what you did to him. And after seeing the crimes you have done, the atrocities you have comitted, I loathe you as much as he does."

"Oh, the Failure opened up to you. How touching." Vagane mocked. There was a slight gust of wind as Goku lowered himself until he was floating slightly above Vagane.

"Master…"

"Be silent for now, Goku. I can handle this."

"So this is the Failure's ally. Strange, from what you told me, he did not seem like the person who would make friends." Alicia said, looking coldy at Celeste. Celeste paid her no mind, her eyes fixed on Vagane.

"The Failure and her have a bond. And apparently it is far stronger then I thought, seeing how she is so willing to destroy herself for him."

"Oh, so they're…"Spike said, and made an obscene motion.

That almost lost him a finger, as Celeste whipped out her hand and the dagger flew out. Spike yelled as the dagger sliced across his knuckle, and as blood began to bloom from the small cut the dagger spun around and flew back into Celeste's hand.

"You bitch…" Spike hissed.

"Oh, very very impressive." Vagane said with heavy sarcasm, clapping mockingly. "But if you haven't noticed, Celeste…"

"My name is Retribution." Celeste hissed, and suddenly black energy began to crackle on her hands.

"Yes, whatever. You support the Failure, but you seem to have inherited his foolishness from all the times you've run and killed beside him. If you haven't noticed, you are outpowered, outclassed, and above all else, outnumbered." Vagane chuckled, as he moved his arms slightly to indicate the four people and non-people on each side of him and the large group of Valkyries behind him, all of whom looked ready to rip the women who stood before their lord to shreds the instant he gave the appropriate order. "You have no chance of beating us."

"Then how about we even the odds up a little?"

The new voice caused Vagane's head to turn to turn to the side as he saw the group of eleven other people at the end of another street to the right of him and his allies. This time, Vagane looked like he was starting to get angry.

"Legacy!" he hissed, looking at the group. With the attention of Vagane's group turned away from her, Celeste bounded over to the group Vagane had called the Legacy, stopping slightly in front and off to the side of it. It was a lonely image, but Celeste seemed quite comfortable with it.

"That's our name. Don't wear it out." The man who had spoken before said. He stood at the very front of the group, leaning on a large sheathed sword. He had long hair, although not as long as Celeste, and it was a tad curly, although the dark blonde locks still spilled down on his shoulders in a straight pattern. The man had blue eyes and boyish, yet chiselled-looking facile features. He was tall and muscular, wearing a turquise-blue full body singlet that was covered by a white-blue breastplate that had very large shoulders that was more the armour then the man's body size. He wore gauntlets and shin/knee guards of the same material, and attached to the back of his armour was a long blue cloak that swirled around him.

"Great. More introductions, and I have such problems with names." Spike said, looking at the group. There were slightly more females then males, of various ages although most of them appeared to be in their mid to late twenties. The blonde man at the front was not the only one wearing armour, others were wearing various portions of it as well, including on who seemed to be covered head to toe in it, although ironically his head was the only part not covered with metal. However, there was one member of the group who was at the other end of the extreme, as one of the girls was wearing so little she looked like she had taken a string bikini and tried to make it even smaller. Her severe lack of clothing was ruined by her serious look. Indeed, all the warriors looked serious, most of all the blonde man at the forefront, who continued to lean on his sword.

"I thought, Vagane, that the Failure was a loner and would not enlist aid." Adam said, looking calmly at the group of warriors. He was beginning to think that, indeed, Vagane was not as clever as he thought.

"He didn't have to enlist aid. He's our friend, and our ally. When we learned of what you showed him, you fool, we insisted on coming. It was hard to believe it as first, the whole story he told us about other worlds and warriors far mightier then us, but we're here now. And I would say that is a problem, for you." The blonde man said. The other people with him made noises of agreement, although Celeste stayed silent

Vagane's eyes searched the group, and he finally noticed something as his faint anger over the error of his calculations faded.

"The Failure is not with you. Strange. I am his enemy, not yours, and yet when you arrive he is not here?"

"He had to deal with something. He'll be along soon. And any enemy of his is an enemy of ours. I think his birthday is coming up soon, although I'm not sure. I can't think of a better present of giving you to him, you murderer." Said one of the females in the group, the one closest to the blonde leader. She also had blonde hair, although it was much lighter then the man's, and longer, down to the middle of her back. Her figure was like Celeste's, abet with somewhat less muscle, but still strong looking. She wore a full body outfit that was completely white, including the boots she wore and the fingerless gloves that her outfit trailed into. Her features seemed almost angelic, as if the earth had blessed a human with the beauty of a supposed angel. Instead of a sword, she held a staff weapon that was bladed at both ends, a small pointed blade at one end and a far larger and more stylized blade on the other end, the end that was pointing upward. Vagane stared at her. She seemed somewhat familiar to him.

"Mate, I asked a question. Who are these people?" Spike said. Vagane glanced over to the vampire.

"They call themselves the Legacy. They're the group that the Failure belongs to, the group that are the heroes of their world like the warriors Goku defeated are the heroes of theirs. That man at the front is their leader…the one who defeated the god Xaxargas, although I can't imagine how…his name is Ash Merseric. Or shall I say, Bloodfire."

"I prefer the latter from the likes of you. Preferably spoken in fear." The newly named Ash said. Vagane smirked.

"You won't be getting it. Nor will your wife. I believe it is Christine?" Vagane said. Christine glared back to Vagane, and he smirked inwardly. He knew why he recognized Christine now. If only she knew.

"I know, Vagane."

Vagane jerked his head to the side.

"I know now. You stole a great deal from me, and from my brother, but we both know now. He knows I live, how you used me against him, before I became a problem. I suppose you thought you had it buried deep enough in his head. Not deep enough to reach."

Vagane cursed inwardly, both at the fact his long ago crafted ruse had fallen apart and also the fact he had forgotten that one of Christine's talents was the ability to read minds.

"Impossible. There is no way the Failure could have remembered that you really lived! He thought he whole family was dead! I hammered that into him to the point where he dedicated his whole life to avenging them! How could he possibly recall it?"

"I'm getting tired of being in the dark here, although it's where I prefer to be. What is "it"?" Spike said.

"I'm Erik's little sister. I know that now." Christine said. "And I delight in knowing that you now know it, Vagane. It means you know that he has a reason to go on. You tried your hardest to make sure he lost that part of himself. You failed."

Vagane gritted his teeth.

"Well, I do know you are one thing, Christine! DEAD!" Vagane yelled, as he slammed his hand down on the button that activated his main cannon. It slid out of back of his hoverchair, armed, and fired, the black beam streaking directly at the group.

Then there was a blur of movement, accompanied by a metallic noise, and then suddenly the beam changed direction, flying off into the sky and into space. Vagane looked after it, and then back at Ash, who now stood with his sheath in one hand and his sword out and pointed into the air. The blade was also a strange blue tint, and the hilt and handle seemed to be composed of the finest crystal. Ash lowered the blade and dropped the sheath, keeping the four-foot blade at the ready.

"Care to try that again, Vagane? I do so love batting practice." Ash said in a mocking tone.

Vagane took a deep breath. Adam was looking at him with distaste, and Alicia was looking doubtful as well. He had to take control of the situation again.

"Master…" came Goku's voice, and he looked up to the still SSJ4.

"Let me deal with them, Master. I outpower them all put together by a long shot. Destroying them will be even easier then the others." Goku said. Vagane looked back down at the Legacy, then smirked.

"No Goku. You have done enough for now. Conserve your power. These fools are not worthy to fight you. They're not worthy to battle any of us."

"I beg to differ Vagane. I don't think you have any choice." Ash replied.

"I'll second that motion." Christine added. "You hurt my brother worst of all, but you hurt me as well."

"You hurt Erik. That's enough for me." Celeste added, having kept silent for the whole time. She closed the distance to the Legacy, taking a place by Ash's side, her daggers glinting in the failing moonlight. Vagane smirked.

"Oh, one for all and all for one. You warriors are all the same. I wish you would come up with something original." Vagane said, as a keyboard extended out of the side of his wheelchair and he began to tap at it. Adam glanced over, even as Goku landed next to Vagane and took a place of submission slightly behind him, his head bowed.

"What are you doing, Vagane?"

"They're not worthy to fight us, but I am a generous man. I will provide them with suitable entertainment." Vagane said, as he completed his instructions and activated them.

Then there was a sudden crackling noise that accompanied a series of bright bursts of light, each of which was accompanied by a figure appearing in front of Vagane.

The first figure to appear was an elderly lady that could have been anyone's grandmother. She was even wearing a porkpie hat and carrying a small purse. She had appeared to have been going for a walk before she had appeared before the Legacy.

The second person who appeared was a football player who appeared to have been zapped right off the playing field. The large man dropped the pigskin as he tried to get his helmet off and look around to figure out what was going on.

The third person who appeared was a portly man who was wearing a dress outfit of black pants, blue shirt, and bridged hat. The bag full of paper he was carrying appearntly signaled he was a mailman.

The forth and final figure who appeared wore a smudged and dirty boiler suit, and the empty metal trash can he was carrying immediately signalled him as a sanitation worker of some sort.

"What the hell did you do, mate? How the hell are these idiots gonna help us?" Spike asked, as Ash looked back and forth from the people to Vagane as another panel snapped open at Vagane's hand.

"I reprogrammed my MRR to randomly select and teleport four people from around the planet before us, and as for how they're gonna help us…" Vagane replied, as a vial of what appeared to cow urine slid into his hand.

Ash realized what was going on at the same second that Vagane threw the vial.

"DON'T!"

Too late, as the vial spiralled through the air and shattered on the ground in between the four people. A thin cloud of what appeared to be yellow smoke wafted up from the ground around the people.

As Vagane began to laugh, Ash motioned furiously at the people, whose confusion at what had happened to them was increased even more as the smoke wafted up higher. Trying to cover his mouth at the same time, Ash inhaled for a loud scream.

"DON'T BREATHE IN THE-!"

Too late.

The elderly lady would have been better off if she had turned around and seen some of the creatures behind her. A heart attack would have surely resulted, quick and merciful. Instead, her being the shortest, the smoke reached her first.

The pain was instant, as the senior citizen crumbled to her knees and began to scream as she held her upper chest. The same reaction hit the other three as well almost immediately. As the people agonized, Ash's eyes filled with rage.

"MONSTER!" Ash screamed, as the four men and women in front of him continued to cry out in terrible torment. Vagane just laughed again.

"The virus can only survive in the air for a few seconds, but that was long enough for it to get it into their systems. I'll leave you with these gifts, Legacy, I have what I need already! Maybe if you survive, you will be worthy enough to be destroyed by me and my allies!" Vagane said with a smirk, and then pressed another button. There was a brillant flash of light that engulfed Vagane, his allies, Goku, the Valkyries, and Videl and Marron's limp forms, and then they were gone, teleported away.

"SHIT!" Ash cursed, as the people before him began to mutate. The old lady screamed as a section of her body from her mouth all the way down to her groin suddenly tore away in a terrible huge wedge and filled with sharp teeth to form a disgusting new huge mouth, even as claws spouted on her fingertips. The football player screamed as well as he suddenly bent down so he was lying on his hands and feet. Then his hands suddenly twisted around 180 degrees even as they widened and sprouted black claws. The player's cleats then tore open as his feet formed into simular appendages. His head seemed to shrink into his chest, and then a twin pair of bulbuous objects sprouted on his shoulders and split open to reveal a pair of new eyes. But the worst was yet to come as the back of his outfit suddenly tore off as the back of football player opened from his rear to what had been his neck to reveal a large mouth filled with teeth and a barbed tongue. Once it had held muscle and the spinal cord, but Vagane's virus had completely warped the man's body into the terrible shape it now was in.

"Oh…dear…god…" one of the women of the Legacy said, her hand clamped over her mouth, although whether it was from shock or to keep from vomiting was uncertain. Ash looked in in simular horror.

The mailman screamed and clutched his gut and then it suddenly split open in a terrible new mouth. The mailman's hat fell off and was blown away by the wind as his head also suddenly shrunk into his chest as the front of his shirt tore completely off as a new pair of eyes opened on the man's chest, as his hands also sprouted black claws. The garbageman's hands suddenly yanked the can up, garbage flying out, before his hands seemingly forced the can over his head. The garbageman tore at the can, muffled screams coming from within, and then the botton lip of the can suddenly sank through the cloth of his outfit and attached to his body. The struggles faded as metal suddenly sprouted on the man's arms, bursting out of the top part of his hands like some kind of out of control nails. The can warped and then suddenly began mallable as a mouth suddenly opened in it, along with twin slits that held totally black eyes, without pupils of any kind.

And like that, it was gone. The screams faded as the new creatures, born of the humans Vagane had teleported to serve his purpose, looked at the Legacy.

"The master commands their death! We must destroy them!" said the former garbageman, his voice now a horrible metallic shriek. Ash had drawn backwards into his group, and now he turned to one of the members. She looked older then the others, in her mid-forties or so. She wore a long white robe of multiple layers that completely covered her body, and her closely done up black hair was streaked with grey like Vagane. There were a few wrinkles around her eyes as well.

"Mother." Ash said, indicating off to the side, where the Z Warriors still lay. "I think those are the people Erik spoke off. They look like they've been badly hurt. Go and try to help them. We'll keep those monsters busy."

"Be careful Diana." Said one of the males, who also happened to be the only male who also looked considerably older then the other males. He had reddish hair, although it appeared he was starting to lose it. It ended in a closely tied ponytail. He wore armour simular to Ash, and indeed, he looked a good deal like Ash as well, abet older. His sword was even longer then Ash's though, and had a strangely designed handle that looked like it would be somewhat hard to grip if the person didn't know what they were doing.

"I always am, Rod." Diana replied curtly, and headed off to the closest Z Warrior as Ash and Rod, along with the other Legacy members, looked back at the monsters, which were starting to advance on them.

"Ok everyone. Split up, no more then three to a head. Just remember these people aren't people anymore. Now they only live to destroy us. We don't have a choice but to do the same. I've got the garbageman." Ash said, and broke from his group.

"I'm with you, Ash." Christine said, as the leader of the Legacy broke from the group, followed by his wife. As if by a secret signal, the group split up, each one heading for a certain monster.

The battle had begun.

What had once been an elderly lady hissed as the scantily clad woman approached her. She had long hair as well, about the same length of Christine's, and it was a fiery red colour. Her hair matched her outfit, what little of it there was, along with the short cloak she wore that looked like a kind of small cape. Even her boots, while they did not expose her feet, looked to be of the high-heeled domanitrix kind. Her eyes were a reddish brown colour, framing a face with cheekbones and a nose that looked like they had been sculpted from stone. She usually also wore a very seductive smile, although she did not wear one now. While also in the great shape that all the members of the Legacy shared, she was the most "well-endowed", although not to a point where it would look like she would have severe back problems in later life.

"In my day, proper ladies never dressed like that." The old woman creature hissed, the whole part of her body that had become her gaping mouth moving up and down in a repulsive way as she spoke.

"I never said I was a lady." The girl replied, looking about as dangerous as a bowl of ice cream, as she had no apparent weapons

"And disrespectful too. I guess I will have to teach you some manners!" the former elderly lady shrieked, and charged at the woman, claws extended to rip and tear.

Then the woman suddenly leapt into into the air as she reached behind her, and then there was a cracking noise and a shriek of pain as something suddenly lashed across what had been the old woman's forehead, drawing a line of blood. The woman completed her flipping move as the old lady managed to stop her charge and turn around.

"Sorry. I'm a bad student." Said the woman, as her hands coiled slinkily around a long barbed whip as she tied it up by her side. That done, she reached behind her, and there was a sound of metal unsheathing as she withdrew twin long, thin swords with fiery red hilts. "But I can tell you what I am. I'm ON FIRE!"

With that, the woman in red suddenly drew back her sword.

"RAPID HELL!" she yelled, as she slashed her sword along the ground, and suddenly fire exploded into existence and burned across the ground in a straight line at the old woman monster.

The monster wasn't stupid though, and immediately leapt out of the way, directly at the woman. She gasped.

And then hands suddenly extended out of her shadow and grabbed her, and then suddenly the woman was literally yanked into the ground where the shadows fell, vanishing without a trace as the old lady creature crashed down where she had been. Her mutated eyes looked around in confusion.

"Hey, grandma! Over here!"

The creature turned to see the woman some feet away, but she wasn't alone. The man beside her wore all black from his neck to his feet, but you could barely see the outfit because of all the daggers he had strapped around it. There were everywhere, on his shoulders, chest, legs, and elsewhere as well. He looked to be slightly older then the woman, and had dark hair that was shorter then Ash's, although he was also on the verge of a ponytail. His hand gestured and suddenly three daggers seemingly sprouted out of it as the woman looked at him.

"Thanks Brigh. I thought with her once being an old woman and all, she would lack agility."

"Not a problem, Chastity." The newly named Brigh said.

"Chastity? That harlot is named Chasity?" the old woman monster hissed in amazement, and the newly named Chastity turned her fiery eyes on her.

"That was my birth given name. However, I am far more like my self given name. You may call me Jalapeno."

"And we have a name for you too. RECENTLY DECEASED!" Brigh said as he thrust his hand holding the three daggers back. "KNIFE POINT!"

The three daggers flew from Brigh's hand and slashed through the old woman like they had a life of their own. The old woman wailed as the wounds on her jaw, shoulder, and leg began to bleed, before she roared and leapt at the group.

"Shit! I didn't hit anything vital!" Brigh yelled as he and Chasity leapt aside as the old woman charged into their midst. Brigh tried to pull out more daggers, but the old woman backhanded him and he flew into a wall, crashing there in a daze. Chastity brought up her twin katana-like swords to parry the monster's slashing blow and parried a few more as she danced around. The awkward shape of her boots not affecting her movement at all, Jalapeno unleashed her own attack, her blades drawing blood twice before her luck ran out and her constant movement caused her to trip. As she sprawled on the ground, the old woman shrieked and brought her clawed hand down.

And then screamed as a blade flashed out and cut it off. Staggering backwards, she wailed and looked at the man who had saved Chasity. He was the one who wore the most complete set of armour, although how he moved around in it was an apparent mystery. His hair was also reddish, but it was rusty red rather then a fiery red like Chastity's. In his hand he held a massive broadsword, which was about as long as Ash's sword but much thicker and apparently much heavier, as the man needed both his hands to wield it. Putting his sword down, the man offered a hand to Chastity. She accepted and he pulled her up.

"Tis not nice to strike a lady when she is down." The man said to the creature with an accent. It was hard to place, but it sounded how like someone might have spoken in medival England.

"Tell me about it William. I was there." Chastity said, as she retrived her twin swords. Bright had gotten to his feet, and he joined the two to make it a triad.

"I'd hardly think this is fair, three young ones ganging up on an old woman." The creature hissed. The fact that the monster tried to utalize what it had once been as a psychological weapon was deeply disturbing. But it was not effective.

"Life's not fair" Chastity shot back, and then the creature leapt at them again.

The man who stood to face the beast that had once been the football player was somewhat more imposing then Chastity, in the fact that it was the man who Diana had called Rod, and the fact that he immediately unsheathed his weapon to reveal a sword that had to be at least five feet long. Despite the look that the handle would be hard to hold, Rod held the massive weapon in the loose grip of a master.

"You don't look like much." Said the football creature, and the way what had been a man's back moved up and down to speak sickened Rod. But it didn't weaken him.

"Well, I may not look like much, but I am ugly, and…no no, uh, you may be ugly, but I am Winston Churchill, and…BAH! Forget it, I'll let my son do the clever insults, let's just fight!" Rod say, raising his huge sword.

The monster charged at Rod, and Rod did likewise, bringing his huge blade back and up before slashing it out. The monster leapt to the side even as Rod did his own dodge after he swung. The two stopped and turned around, each having failed to hit the other.

"Grrrr! I'll rip your head from your-GRRUHHHHH?" The former football player said in confusion. The confusion was caused when a woman had leapt onto his "back", which was now the top part of his mouth. This woman, although she appeared physically to be as old as the others, had a look about her that made her appear to be much younger. She had an air of mischief around her, from her braided black hair to her twinkling brown eyes to her purple full body suit. The woman, having successfully leapt onto the creature, got as firm a grip as she could.

"Gruh? I guess that's your way of saying, RIDE 'EM LUNA!" The newly named Luna crowed.

The monster was not amused, as it immediately began to thrash and jump about like a wild bull, trying to get the girl off. But Luna's grip was strong, and while she nearly fell off a few times, she managed to stay on top of the creature.

"Maybe I lost something in the translation?" Luna asked with a mock concerned air, as the creature gave up thrashing and began charging into walls to try and get the woman off. All it did was hurt the creature, as Luna wrapped her gloved hands in between a gap of the creature's teeth and held on.

"Hey, this is actually kinda fun! Do you mind? I've always wanted to yell this. YE-HAH!" Luna crowed. Shaking had not worked, and banging had not worked, so the creature tried abruptly jerking his body in different directions. This was met with somewhat greater success, as Luna's body slid forward so she was suddenly dangling face-first in front of the creature's open mouth.

"UGH! If you're going to fight this close to heroes in the future, may I suggest a breath mint?"

The creature, and then suddenly its barbed tongue lashed out of its mouth. Luna made a noise of surpirse and jerked her head up as the bladed organ barely missed her. Before she lost her balance, Luna shoved herself off the back of the creature and rolled away as the tongue came down barb-first on the concrete, shattering it. But as she was getting to her feet, the monster leapt at her, opening its huge mouth to bite her in half. Rod had stood by all this time, waiting for a good time to strike, but now he realized he might have waited a little too much and he leapt forward himself, hoping he could intercept the creature before it got Luna.

"El Viento!"

The creature's trip was interrupted by a sudden huge gust of wind, concentrated onto a single spot to the point that it felt like a punch, slammed into the side of the creature, and it was thrown aside. Rod stopped his leap with some surprise, looking in the direction of the attack. Scrambling to its four new legs, the football creature also did so. 

Like Diana, she wore multi-layered robes, but while Diana's were white and simple, this new woman's were black and stylized with various arcane symbols. The staff she carried was also not made of wood, but metal, with many of the same patterns raced onto it. A hood, thrown back, rested at the top of her outfit, to reveal her long black hair, abet not as dark as Celeste's. She also looked to be slightly older, in her early thirties, and it gave a mature beauty.

"Hey Angie! Thanks for the save!" Luna said as she got to her feet.

"Any time Lindsay. Any time." Angie replied, refering to Luna by her actual name. Lindsay shrugged it off as she snapped her fingers. Suddenly, the large pads on her shoulders that had appeared to be some kind of armoured shoulder guard slid down her forearms. As they slid, they split and shaped into metal claws that finally came to a stop on the top of Lindsay's hands. As the young woman slipped her hands into the grips, she looked back at Rod.

"Hey Rod, thanks for the help, but hold off for another second. I want another crack at this guy!"

The young man stood to confront the mailman creature, his hands in the pockets of his leather trenchcoat. While all the other male members of the Legacy wore outfits and/or armour that suggested some kind of futeristic medival look, this man's look was more of a relaxed and "cool" style, with some punk mixed in. He wore black jeans, black shoes, and a white shirt. His hair was cut short to his head, although the end trailed off into a slight ponytail. Like most of the members of the Legacy, he had black hair, which was the same colour of the sunglasses he peeked over to look at the monster.

"A mailman. Considering the image of your profession, how fitting I fight you."

The creature roared at the leather-jacketed man, drool flying from the mouth that had once been a man's gut. The saliva hit the ground and began to hiss, suggesting there was more to it then met the eye. The leather-jacketed man was unimpressed.

"Oh really? Well my name is Paul. They call me Wyred. Nice to meet you." Paul said sarcastically, as if the creature's roar had been some kind of a greeting. The thing that had once been a mailman seemed to understand that it had been insulted, as it roared again and charged at Paul.

"Ohh, scary." Paul said in mock fear, as he pushed the sunglasses back up over his eyes and reached behind him.

And pulled out a gun unlike any that seemed to exist. It looked mostly like a cross between a shotgun, an assault rifle, and something out of the film _Aliens_, but there were several strange extensions and attachments to it that made it look even more bizzare. It was about four feet long and jet-black, and the barrel almost seemed to smoke in anticipation as Paul yanked on something that appeared to be something that would trigger the opening round into the barrel and aimed it at the creature.

"Scarier." Paul said, and fired. But the creature saw it coming and leapt aside, leaving the round to shoot up a small patch on concrete. It didn't have any time to enjoy its successful dodge, however, as Paul made a noise of irritation, switched his grip style even as he yanked on another small extension, and re-aimed. The creature growled, but it ran anyway as Paul opened fire with a storm of bullets.

BRACKABRACKABRACKABRACKABRACKABRACKABRACKA…

Despite the pudgy nature that the body had come in, the mailman monster proved to be surprising fast, as Paul's bullets traced a path around the road as the creature ran away. Paul seemed unconcerned, keeping the gun steady and his gaze level.

"Oh give me a home, where the firepower roams, and the deer and the antelope all get blown to hamburger!" Paul sang softly, as his gun continued to blaze.

BRACKABRACKABRACKABRACKABRACKABRACKABRACKABRACKABRACKABRACKABRACKABRACKACLICKCLICKCLICKCLICK.

The creature stopped at the clicking noise, as Paul's eyes widened, and he glanced down.

"Damn, I've got to get bigger clips!" Paul cursed, as he lowered his gun and tried to switch to another store of ammo. Seizing it's oppourtunity, the mailman beast roared again and leapt at Paul, it's cruel claws extending at the young man as he looked up in fear, even as he furiously tried to reload.

"HIYA!" screamed a female voice, and then a red armoured boot came crashing into the chest of the mailman beast, knocking it backwards several feet into a wall. Paul smiled as the woman whow as attached to the foot rolled into a sommersault from her jump and leapt to her feet, her short brown hair swirling around her head.

"You have to invest in something other then a gun, Paul." She quipped, cracking her knuckles.

"Shut up Victoria." Paul shot back, as he finally got his gun reloaded. The creature by now had regained its bearings, and it roared at the female who was dressed all in red.

Victoria just roared back, abet in a far more mocking tone, and the same shoulder pads Lindsay wore slid down her forearms and formed into claws on her hands as well. And while Victoria's claws were somewhat more stylized, they were no less lethal, as she ran at the monster and unleashed several slashing swipes as she got close. The monster proved itself a worthy foe at it dodged them all, but it didn't dodge the spinning hook kick that Victoria comboed into a claw swipe. As it staggered, Victoria tried another thrusting claw stab, but the creature recovered more quickly and dodged out of the way. As Victoria stumbled by, the creature slashed out its arm and tore four bloody swipes across Victoria's non-armoured back. While the creature's inability to get a good grip with its weapons made the wound superficial, it still hurt like hell.

"ARGH! You bastard!" Victoria yelled as she spun around, clucthing her bleeding back. Then she snapped her head backward as the creature swiped at her again, the claws coming within millimeters of her throat. The creature reared back for another strike on the female, but it didn't get the chance at its foot suddenly exploded. Wailing from the pain, it turned its eyes back on Paul, who stood holding his gun out with one hand.

"Forget about me, asshole?" Paul smirked. The creature turned its full attention on the man, but it doing so it made the mistake of forgetting about Victoria, who took her hand away from her wound and brought it together with her other hand so her claws intersected.

"IRON BUTTERFLY!" Victoria yelled as electricity crackled on her claws before she thrust her hands away from each other and an electric bolt flew from them, slamming into the side of the monster and shoving it back into the wall in a crumbling of bricks and a stink of burning flesh.

"Hey, no fair! I wanted the kill!" Paul complained as he walked up to Victoria.

Then the fallen bricks flew upward as the creature exploded out from under them, hurt but not down.

"You may yet get your chance, Paul."

Ash cocked his head, looking at the garbageman monster with some amusement mixed into his façade. Despite its certainly lethal nature, the monster, with the way the virus had somehow incorperated the garbage can into the flesh and made it the head, also looked rather ludicrous. If he didn't know the creature could rip him limb from limb, he would have laughed.

"Are you ready, sweetie?" Ash said to Christine, who stood beside him as she always did. Christine only response was to bring her blade staff up into a battle position. Ash glanced around at his allies as they fought their own battles, and back at his mother, who was tending to a figure dressed in black and green. Saitified that his friends and family were safe, Ash turned his eyes back the garbageman monster and raised his sword.

"Huh. I can see why master Vagane would not want to fight you, you weaklings. But for him, I will take out the trash!" the garbageman monster rasped.

**__**

Ugghh! That was terrible!

"Uhhh?" the garbageman creature said. Neither the man or woman had spoken, but he had distinctively heard himself be insulted.

**__**

Yoo hoo! Down here moron!

This time, the garbageman creature followed the sound…and found himself looking at the sword the man held in his hand.

"The hell…that sword can talk?"

**__**

Yeah, and I pun a lot better then you too!

"Be quiet Soulfire." Ash muttered. "Less talk, more killing."

Then as if they were one, Ash and Christine leapt to the attack. The garbageman creature snarled and took on both of them at once, using the makeshift metal blades sticking out of his hands to defend and attack as Ash and Christine dueled with him. This went on for a bit, before Ash signaled to his wife.

Christine stuck her staff into the ground and swung her body around, slamming her foot into the creature's side, and as it staggered, Ash went for a head slash. However, the blow was off and it glanced off the creature's now-metal head. The failure of the blow threw Ash off his game, and he was knocked aside by a scything right slash that he parried at the last minute.

**__**

ARGGGHHH! Ash, you IDDIIOOTTT! I told you not to use that part of me to block anymore!

As Christine swung back to her feet and yanked her staff from the ground, the creature swung at her, and she thrust the staff up to block. However, the blow was more of a push then a slice, and as a result Christine fell backwards onto her rear. The creature, showing no mercy, immediately slashed down again before Christine could regain her bearings.

And then he yelled as his blade came down on twin intersected daggers as Celeste came out of nowhere and blocked the blow, before she shoved her daggers upwards to push the monster away. It yelled and slashed at her, but she ducked and slashed her right hand out, slicing a long gash across the monster's outer thigh that immediately began to leak black blood into the ground. Christine regained her feet as Celeste backed away.

"Thanks." Christine said, although she was somewhat surprised that Celeste, who was not a member of the Legacy and barely knew any of them, save for Erik, had been the one to save her.

Celeste was silent, instead flipping her dagger over and sliding it into the sheath she had attached to her inner forearm in one smooth motion as her fist crackled with black energy.

"Raven's Beak!" she yelled and opened her hand as a black energy projectile blossumed and exploded from her palm, directly at the creature's head. But the monster saw it coming, and rising his right arm he intercepted the beam with the blade on his hand. The beam bounced off, reflecting back at Celeste, and she squawked and dove aside as it narrowly missed her and flew across the street, striking an overturned car and blowing it to pieces.

"You missed." The creature mocked.

Then the Soulfire slashed down, and the creature screamed as the blade attached to its right hand was sliced clean off, dropping onto the ground.

**__**

Too bad for you I didn't!

"You'll pay for that!' the creature roared, turning back to Ash. Ash parried the remaining bladed hand and hoped his friends were doing well.

Brigh cursed as the old lady moved aside as the two daggers he had thrown missed her. However, his failure became an oppourtunity for others as William and Chasity pounced on the monster with a combined sword attack. The creature moved aside to get away from William's overhead horizontal slice and instead got slashed by Chastity's left hand blade across the face. Shrieking, the woman slashed at Chastity with her remaining hand, but William shoved her aside and took the blow instead. The claws made a horrible noise as they tore across his armour, but besides a long scratch he took no damage. Brigh used this oppourtunity to whip off another dagger, and he struck pay dirt as it lanced into the creature's back, drawing another wail. Maddened by pain, the old lady furious attacked William, trying to bite him with her horribly distended and mutated jaw, but William danced backward away from her bites.

Or at least he did until he slipped on a pebble. Armoured metal boots were not the best thing to wear for dodging blows. William fell, and as he tried to get his sword up to protect himself with, the old lady monster raised her remaining hand for a lethal blow.

Then Chastity's whip lashed around it and yanked it aside. The creature was forcibly spun around to the scantily clad female as she uncoiled the whip and caused its length to lash back to her. Chastity smirked and opened her mouth to say something else, but whatever witty or sacrastic comment she was about to make was cut off as the old lady creature suddenly inhaled deeply.

Then she made a noise like she was trying to pass a huge hairball and then a huge glob of some kind of clear thick fluid flew out of her mouth. Chastity gasped as the gunk enveloped her and pinned her against the wall, the disgusting paste-like substance covering the entire top part of her.

"Chastity!" Brigh screamed, and ran as the female began to struggle furiously as the guck kept her from breathing. Brigh snapped out two daggers and began cutting at the guck around Chastity's head furiously, trying to ignore the creature as it approached and began to inhale again.

"Not today, foul creature! I am thine opponent now!" William yelled, and as the creature turned to the charging warrior, the knight brought up his blade.

"PURPLE SUNSET!" William yelled as purple energy engulfed his blade. As the old lady tried to defend herself, William suddenly swung his blade low and slashed, slicing the burning sword right through the lady's right kneecap, severing the limb. As blood spurted and the creature howled, William turned around with his blade aloft, ready to strike again.

But the creature had not yet adapted to the recent loss of its leg, and as it continued to howl, Brigh finally cut enough of the slime away from Chastity's face so that she could spit out a hunk of it and take great gasping breaths. Then her eyes, visible through the goo, snapped open and it began to bubble. As Brigh backed away it began to smoke, and then it burst into flames and burnt away, revealing a very angry Chastity.

"Ok bitch, time to see just how well I can cook!" Chasity hissed, and brought her hands together as a ball of flame appeared between her palms and turned a glowing blue colour.

"HEAVENLY DYNAMITE!" Chastity screamed, and hurled the flame bomb at the former old woman. The creature howled once more as its skin began to blister, and then the fireball struck it. There was a horrid sizzling sound as fire lanced through the creature's body, and then it collasped, roasted to a crisp.

Chastity made a noise of saitisfaction and retrived her swords, and then she winked.

"Hey, if you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen."

Angie was beginning to regret picking the football creature. She was not the physical sort like Rod or Lindsay, and while they were holding their own against the monster, she had been forced to run every time the creature turned its attention on her.

However, her teammates weren't stupid, and eventually they had picked up on that fact and were now protecting her. As they sliced and clawed at the creature, trying to get through the tough hide they had found it possessed, Angie jammed her staff down and began waving her hands around it, calling apon her power.

"By the will…of…"Angie said, before she went off into a string of nonsense that only she understood. She closed her eyes, and then snapped them open again as she thrust her hands up palm first.

"Eight-Coil Serpent!"

Tongues of blue energy materilized around her, and as they floated around her body, she pointed at the creature and they lanced at it. Lindsay and Rod leapt out of the way as the beams struck the monster, and it wailed as it was tossed backwards by the energy.

"I've weakened its skin, guys! You should be able to cut it now!" Angie yelled.

"Much abliged, Angelina!" Rod said, as he lifted his blade and charged. Angie sighed. Why was it that only Rod called her by her full name…

Lindsay was charging at the monster as well, and being faster, she reached it first.

And got hit first at the creature suddenly opened its mouth and lashed its tongue out in a sweeping motion. Lindsay gasped at the hot, wet slab of muscle slammed against her side and sent her flying. Realizing that it could use its tongue as something else then a stinger, Rod tried to back away, but the creature, with lightning speed, lashed the body part at him and he too was sent airborn. As the warrior crashed to the ground, the creature turned its eyes on Angie, who was about twenty feet away. Her eyes widened slightly.

Then they widened even more in shock as the creature snapped open it's huge mouth and its tongue _extended_, lancing at the woman with it's cruel barb glistening. Angie immediately threw up her right hand and made a quick motion.

"HEAVEN'S HEART!"

And then a dome of white energy exploded around Angie. The tongue slammed into it and the creature wailed as the muscle was burned by the shield. At it withdrew its blistened appendage, the shield disapated.

"Lindsay, Rod, NOW!"

"On it! 11TH MOON!" Lindsay yelled as she charged at the creature. The creature, caught off guard, screamed as Lindsay drove a clawed fist into its side, followed by another jab, a snapping kick, and another twisting kick. Pushing off the momentum of the last attack, Lindsay rose into the air as she drew her hands up as red energy crackled to life on them. She thrust her hands down, sending twin beams at the creature that combined into one blast. It struck the creature's side and blasted it through the air, the creature finally coming to rest on its back, the side Luna had struck scorched and bleeding.

"Go for it Rod!" Lindsay yelled as she landed and the monster got to its unsteady feet. It heard running and turned, and it's eyes widened as Rod drew down on it, holding his huge sword up.

"SURVIVOR OF WAR!"

The sword slashed out, catching the creature right where it's mouth opened before the blade sliced right through, tearing the whole top of the creature off in a great spray of blood. The body shuddered and fell as the sliced off top flew through the air, before it finally came to rest on a pile of rubble.

"Am I good, or what?" Rod quipped.

"Or what." Luna replied. 

Rod gave her a dirty look.

Paul cursed as his gun jammed, and he leapt to the side as the mailman creature slashed at him. Victoria pounced on the monster from behind, trying to climb onto its back and drive one of her claws into where she estimated the brain now was. The attack was a failure as the creature threw her off, causing her to fall violently onto the ground, even as Paul continued to struggle.

"Ah, screw this!" Paul cursed, and switched to another ammo type. "PIERCING EYE!"

An energy charged spike lanced from the barrel of his gun, blowing right through the creature's shoulder, or what had been the shoulder before the virus had mutated the poor man. The creature wailed, but it didn't fall. Instead it turned angry eyes on the gunsman.

"Uh, can we be friends?" Paul cracked weakly, trying to switch to another kind of ammo.

The creature didn't reply. Instead it reared back and spat, sending a glob of greenish-yellow fluid at Paul. Paul leapt to the side and the blob of gunk splattered against the wall behind him. It immediately began to hiss as it ate into the wall, and Paul decided he didn't want to see what happened if it hit him. The creature spat again, and he ran for his life, ducking and rolling under other shots of acidic saliva. Finally, he sprang to his feet from another roll and aimed his gun at the creature, even as the creature spat again.

"Blood Bullet!" Paul yelled, and a burst of energy exploded from his gun, intercepting the spit.

The good news was that the two cancelled each other out.

The bad news was that it did so explosively, throwing Paul backwards. He struck his head on his landing and groaned, trying to get rid of the stars dancing in his vision.

Growling in saitisfaction, the creature turned back to Victoria as she slowly got to her feet.

"Now…to devour you…" It managed to spit out, Victoria's eyes flashed with anger.

"Someone's going to be devoured, buddy, but it AIN'T GONNA BE ME!" Victoria screamed, and then her face began to elogate as her human pupils narrowed into slits. The creature's eyes widened suddenly as Victoria slunk down on all fours as her clothes seemingly vanished into her skin as blueish-purple scales erupted on her flesh. Claws burst from her hands and feet as her body began to grow larger, her arms and legs changing shape drastically as a tail suddenly sprouted from behind her and a pair of wings unfurled and grew on her back. Horns sprouted on her head as her hair vanished and her face stretched out and became reptilian.

And then the transformation was complete. The monster couldn't believe it as the thirty-foot dragon that Victoria had become raised her head and growled.

Then it shrieked and tried to spit again, but Victoria's mouth snapped open as power crackled within it and then she leaned forward as a bolt of lightning exploded from her mouth, striking the creature and electricuting it. As it shook from the voltage, Victoria opened her mouth to reveal twin rows of sharp teeth, and with a roar she reached down and grabbed the monster in her mouth like a toy. It shrieked as she shook her head back and forth, blood spraying from her mouth as her fangs tore the creature to shreds. The noise finally stopped, and Victoria dumped the ravaged, mutilated, and lifeless corpse at her feet.

"And you taste terrible too." Dragon Victoria said, spitting. 

The garbageman monster thought it was doing pretty well, as even with the loss of one of its blades it had been holding the three people at bay.

The fact that eight more people suddenly seemed to appear out of nowhere to back the three up gave it pause, and then worry. If they were here…

"We got ours Ash." Brigh said.

"Ditto." Said Lindsay.

"Throwing chunks up now." Victoria said, back in her human form and continuing to spit. Ash smirked.

"I would say you've lost, monster."

The garbageman monster growled in fury.

"No! I was created to destroy you all! AND I WILL!" The monster roared, as its metal teeth suddenly seemed to drawn inward.

Then they extended outward as suddenly dozens of razor-sharp pieces of metal came spraying from the creature's maw. Ash's overconfidence vanished as he and his whole team had to dive for cover as the shrapnal filled the air.

Then a chunk of it tore across Christine's arm, drawing blood and making her cry out in pain.

**__**

Oh, you've done it now buddy.

Fury blossumed in Ash's heart and ignited in his eyes, and he got to his feet, completely ignoring the metal shards spraying at him. Surprised, the monster stopped as Ash raised the Soulfire into the air.

"NO ONE HURTS MY WIFE! BLITZKRIEG!" Ash screamed.

Then the air thundered as a bolt of lightning suddenly came out of nowhere and struck Ash's upturned sword. As the power coursed through the warrior, Ash suddenly drew back and lanced at the creature with incredible speed. The creature didn't even have a chance to block.

The sword plunged into the chest of the creature, and as blood splattered on Ash's face, the blue electricity surged and zapped into the monster.

The creature gave off one last shriek before it was blown to bits, flesh and blood spraying everywhere. As the Legacy drew themselves up from their guarded positions as Ash lowered his sword.

**__**

Yuck! This blood is sticky!

"Shut up Soulfire." Ash muttered, and sheathed his sword.

**__**

Argh! No! It smells in heeeeerrrrreeeee…

"You ok honey?" Ash said, making his way to Christine, who was being helped up by Victoria.

"Yes Ash, it's ok. Just a scratch. But you were so sweet for caring!" Christine replied, and leaned in to kiss her husband before she realized that he was still covered in the black blood of the monster. "Um, maybe later."

**__**

Ha! Shot down!

Ash hit the sheath that his sword was in.

**__**

Owwww…

"Angie, could you clean me up? Soulfire was right, this stuff is disgusting." Ash said, as he raised his arms and black blood dripped off of him.

"On it, Ash." Angie said, as she raised her staff and made a few motions. A soft white energy flowed over Ash, and when it left he was clean.

"Ok, any injuries?" he said, turning to his team. Lindsay immediately launched into a list of terrible injuries she had supposedly suffered, but a quick once over spoiled her joke as Ash said she just had a few bruises. "Well anyway, let's go check on my mother." Ash said, turning around and heading towards the woman in white who had stood by and watched the whole time while she tended to the Z Fighters.

"Are you ok, Ash?" Diana said with concern.

"I'm fine, mother, but Vicky's hurt. Better let her take a look at that cut on your back, sis. How about these guys?"

"They're all alive, but that's about all they have going for them. I think there are others, but for now these were all the ones I could find. Thank god for the abilities he blessed me with, otherwise I would have never been able to move some of them." Diana said, as she glanced at the Z Fighters she had lined up. There were several missing, due to them not being out in the open.

"How badly are they hurt?"

"Pretty bad. I stabalized them, but it's gonna take a lot of effort to heal them up…whoever did this beat them up pretty bad…" Diana said, looking at the wound on her daughter's back.

"Owtch! Watch it mom!" Victoria complained. The woman took heed, removing her hand and concentrating. A soft white glow diffused over the wounds, and then they closed up.

"Ah. That's better." Victoria said. Diana looked at Christine.

"Don't worry Diana. I'll handle it." Christine said, taking her hand away from the wound and flexing her fingers. The same soft white glow appeared, and the wound vanished without a scratch remaining.

Then the noise sounded. All of the Legacy immediately drew their weapons as they looked towards the noise.

Then the last of the shattered concrete tumbled away as Pan managed to push them off. Staggering to her feet on top of the wreckage she had been buried in, she took a few shaky steps before she collasped again, but this time she fell into the arms of Victoria and Lindsay.

"Huh…who…are you?" Pan said groggily.

"We're friends of Erik. We're here to help." Victoria said soothingly. Pan blinked, trying to clear her vision.

"Daddy…where's daddy…and the others?" Pan mumbled, the cobwebs finally clearing. She saw her father and ran to him, kneeling next to him while cradling his head.

"Is he…is he…?" she asked, dread rising in her voice.

"He's ok…he was beat up pretty bad, but it's nothing we can't handle…with time. The same with everyone else…although I was amazed to find them all alive. Whoever did this must have been incredibly powerful, if these guys are as strong as Erik said they were." Ash said, a hint of distaste creeping into his voice. Pan ignored it.

"It was…it was…"Pan said, trying to answer.

Then her eyes went as wide as saucers.

"IYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!" she suddenly screamed. "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!?!?!?"

The Legacy whirled and saw the creature just as it finished forming. So fixed had their attention been on the Z Fighters that they hadn't seen it, hadn't seen the pieces of flesh and the remains of the creatures they had slain suddenly start to move, start to slide towards each other, start to gather together to twist and combine to form a single body, a whole new mutation.

The monster that now stood before them was huge, at least ten feet tall, and it looked like something out of the nightmares of H.R Giger with a horrible distended head that was a good seven feet tall itself. The head was narrow on top, but bulged outward as it went downward before narrowing back again, the opposite of an hourglass shape. Sharp blades of natural armour pointed from the sides of the monster's head, tracing down into a huge mouth filled with crooked barbed teeth below burning, slitted red-iris eyes. The rest of the monster seemed to to consist of two huge, thin arms that trailed into giant, skeletal-like hands and a small torso that somehow supported the huge head and amrs. The creature appeared to have to legs, but that was no comfort. The creature's skin was as dark as pitch.

"Holy shit!" Ash cursed, looking at the new creature in horror as it tested its new body. "That virus is even more volatile and resistant then I thought!"

"IYEEEEEEEE!" Pan screamed again, her body too weakened for her to do anything but. Ash glanced back at her, at the unconscious and helpless bodies of the Z Fighters, and then his eyes snapped back at the creature.

"EVERYONE, GET IT!"

With Ash's yell, the Legacy scattered and prepared to strike.

But the creature struck first, as with horrible speed it suddenly reared back its huge bony hand and swung it out. Lindsay's exhuberance proved to be her downfall this time, as the hand slammed into her first and sent her flying before it went on and knocked over Chastity, Rod, Victoria, and Paul like bowling pins. Not discouraged. Ash drew the Soulfire and was ready to charge when the creature swung its other hand at him. He leapt into the air and the hand swiped under him, and as he landed Christine, William, and Brigh came running up to his side.

"Ok, guys, let's…"

Then the creature opened its mouth and suddenly a massive appendage shot out. It wasn't so much a second set of jaws then an organic pole covered with sharp barbs and a massive spiked, barbed end attached to a flexable length of muscle. The appendage slammed down between Ash and his friends, failing in its goal to impale one of them but sending out a seismic shock that scattered them like rag dolls and even knocked over Angie and Diana, who had held back near the Z fighters.

Ash sat up while shaking his head, trying to clear the cobwebs and think of the next thing they could do.

"HAAAAHHHHHHH!" came a scream, and Ash's head jerked as he saw Celeste charging head-long at the creature, drawing her daggers out in mid-stride. The creature swung a hand at her, but Celeste easily dodged it, leaping twenty feet through the air and pulling several sommersaults on the way down to make her body a smaller target before she hit the ground running.

"Celeste, what are you DOING? Don't charge at that thing head first! You don't have any idea what it's capable of!" Ash yelled at the female, wondering if she had any sanity left in her.

"I know it bleeds! That's enough for me!" Celeste shot back as she raised her daggers and brought them together above her head, even as she bore down on the huge creature. "BLACK…RAINBOW!"

Dark energy crackled to life on Celeste's knives, and then she brought her hands apart and down to form a wedge of crackling black energy above her head. The wedge pulsed and then suddenly began spraying small black energy shots from it, which flew through the air and slammed into the creature, ripping small holes through its body. As the creature wailed in sudden pain, Celeste drew back the wedge and hurled it at the creature's head. But even through its pain, the creature was thinking, and it snapped its head to the side. The wedge blew a chunk out of the creature's upper crown, causing black blood to spray.

But it wasn't fatal, and Celeste knew it. But that didn't slow her down, as she brought her daggers up and leapt directly at the creature.

The creature growled and brought its hands up a sudden, powerful clapping motion, and Celeste was caught in the middle. Ash, back to his feet, gasped as the hands slammed together on the female, drawing out a cry. The hands then immediately withdrew, and as Celeste's falling body was exposed it brought one of the hands back up and slapped her with it, sending her driving downward into the concrete.

Although she was far tougher then any average human, Celeste was still in a great deal of pain as she slowly pulled herself up. The creature was measuring her, and she knew it. The blows had caused her to lose her daggers, so she had nothing to defend herself with. She looked up at the creature, blood leaking from the corner of her mouth, and her eyes shining defiance to block out the fear that burned underneath it.

__

Take your best shot.

The creature shrieked and opened its mouth.

"CELESTE!" Ash screamed as the black barbed appendage shot from within the creature, aiming right at the girl.

And then a black blur suddenly leapt from the shadows, a black blur that blazed past the creature even as a massive surge of red energy exploded from out of nowhere.

"HELL HEART SLICER!"

And then the creature howled as its barbed appendage was abruptly severed in one brutal, ripping slash, flying through the air as blood gouted from its mouth. As it agonized, Ash looked at the blur finally came into focus. He knew what he would see.

Day was coming, and the night seemed to be being drawn into Erik's frame as he thrust out his fingers, the last of the red energy fading from his metal hand talons and cyborg arm even as black blood dripped from the hand blades. His cyborg eye burned red, and his human eye matched the look of hatred, fury, and intensity in the other one. Celeste blinked, and then her eyes lit up faintly.

"Erik…" she whispered. By now, the creature had recovered, and even as blood flowed from its mouth, it looked at Erik.

"Foul spawn of a monster's mind, I will let your presense stain this earth no longer! I will burn your polluted blood and your corrupt flesh from this planet, so you can no longer impose your mocking visage of life on it!" Erik snarled, as his talons withdrew and parts of his hands slid around to form a large barrel. He aimed it at the severed appendage, and then flame gushed forth from the tube, igniting it. As it burned, the creature's eyes filled with rage, and even worse, a recognized purpose.

"Vagaaaaannnneeee…you…for…himmmmmm…DIEEEEEEEEEE!" the creature shrieked at Erik. And then a wooshing sound erupted as the creature opened it's mouth and black fire spewed forth from within it, a terrible lance of flame directed right at the dark warrior.

"I will not fall to your dark energies! I AM THE DARKNESS!" Erik yelled, as he brought up his arm and more parts reformated. Suddenly what appeared to be a clear film extended from Erik's arm, growing larger and larger until it was slightly bigger then him. As the flame bore down on him, Erik knelt and held his arm out towards the fire as it engulfed him in burning destruction.

"ERIK!" Celeste shrieked as the warrior's figure vanished in flames, even as the sidewalk and everything else around where he had been began to melt to slag.

"Brother!" Christine cried out in fear. The Legacy watched in horror. Surely…

The creature continued to pour on the fire, even though it appeared the flame was doing damage to itself as well as its enemy. Celeste looked back at it and growled, a low growl of pure fury as she brought her hand up and clenched it into a fist, black energy bursting to life on it.

"Heartseeker!" she yelled, and thrust her fist out, sending a spiraling bolt of energy at the creature.

So focussed on its target was the monster, it never even noticed until the bolt tore through its skin and lanced through it's mutated, twisted heart.

The creature shrieked, and the flame tampered off, leaving only smoking ruins where a street and various other things had once stood, before they had been melted or burnt beyond recognization.

Then the smoke cleared as Erik rose to his feet, the shield snapping back into his arm, not harmed in any way. Celeste's eyes lit up again. She had known it.

"I cast you out from this life. BEGONE!" Erik yelled, as he drew back his hand. "SCARLET DOWNPOUR!"

A red energy spear appeared in Erik's hand, and he hurled it at the creature. It tore through the creature's shoulder in an explosion of burning flesh and sizzling blood, and the creature wailed, as another spear appeared in Erik's other hand and he hurled that one as well. It burst through the creature's torso. The next one slashed through the creature's right eye, the forth nearly severed the creatures left arm, and the fifth ripped right through the creature's huge toothed mouth, exploding out of the back of it's skull. As the monster wailed, Erik leapt into the air as a giant red energy spear, at least three times as long as the previous one, appeared in his hands as he thrust them above his head. With a scream, he hurled it downward, splitting the creature's head and body asunder. It screamed, and then it exploded as a tornado of flames burst from where the spear hit the ground, burning the creature to ashes in a purifying inferno.

Erik landed, still glaring as his flames disapated and the ashes began to blow away. As if it was relieved that it could finally show its face, the sun began to peak over the horizon.

And then Erik finally relaxed, his muscles relieving themselves of tension as he turned around, letting a long breath out.

"All right Erik! Way to make an entrance! Yay yay yay yay yay!" Lindsay crowed, jumping up and down. The other members of Legacy were more serious, but they all gave him simular gestures of approval.

**__**

Lessee. He kills the big monster, you get smacked around. Why are you the leader again?

"Shut up Soulfire." Ash growled, stuffing the talking and ever so annoying blade back into the sheath on his side.

The only one who did not make the gesture of approval to Erik was Celeste, and as he approached her, she lowered her head slightly, her eyes filled with shame.

"I'm sorry teacher. I foolishly attacked without thinking, and it almost got me killed. Forgive me."

Then her head was lifted up by Erik's hand.

"Foolishness is one way of looking at it. An intelligent move? Maybe not. A brave move, made for people you don't know all that well? Definitely. Don't call yourself an idiot, Celeste. Call yourself a hero, because that's what you are to me. You always will be. Remember that."

Celeste smiled shyly.

"Thank you teacher."

"Celeste, my name is Erik. You have every right to use it as I do yours. Come on." Erik said, as he walked past her to the gathering Legacy group. Celeste looked after him.

"Always there to pick me up…in battle and in heart…"Celeste said.

"Oh dear god." Erik said, as he looked at the sprawled Z Fighters. With Pan's help, the Legacy had managed to locate the missing warriors, and now everyone who had opposed Vagane lay before him, motionless and looking as if the diagnosis that they were still alive was a grave error. The only one who stood was Pan, and Erik looked to her.

"What did this Pan? Who could have…" Erik's voice trailed off as his mind realized two things. One, there was only one logical choice on who could possess enough power to brutalize the Z Warriors, and two, he wasn't there.

"Grandpa…I mean Goku. He…he…the evil man…it's not grandpa anymore…it's something else…something evil…even more evil then those monsters…Erik, I'm scared." Pan said, looking to the only familiar face she knew in the group of warriors who stood around her.

"It's ok, Pan. It's all right. We'll just get some Senzus and…"

"There aren't any Senzus."

Now Erik looked a tad worried.

"What?"

"They're gone. I asked everyone. They're gone, like they vanished into thin air."

"Or like somebody stole them." Erik replied. Anger began to burn in his eyes. _Damn you. DAMN YOU._

"Well Erik, surely this can't be anything we can't handle…"Ash said, before his brother in law stopped him with a look.

"Oh Ash, I think it may be far far more. Look." Erik said, gesturing the flaming ruins of the streets and buildings around him. "What you see now, is the same all over this city. It's been totally destroyed. And whoever did this did it without blinking an eye."

The Legacy was silent, as Erik looked back to the prone Z warriors. _Dear god…my sensors are telling me they're alive…but their bodies…what has Goku become? How could he…wait a minute._

Erik looked around, looking at the Legacy and back to the Z Warriors.

__

Thirteen of us, including me, and thirteen of them…so why am I reading 27 life…signs…dear god.

But the creature was not reviving itself again. It had no flesh to reform. Instead, Erik turned his worried eyes to a pile of rubble that had once been a building. Specifically, if the sign had not been destroyed, it would have been identified as a hospice.

"Hey Erik, what are you doing?" Ash said as Erik suddenly broke from the group and ran to the rubble, climbing up on it and furiously pulling chunks of stone aside. _It's so faint…come on..come on…hold on…_

And then Erik yanked aside the last rock to reveal the crushed body of a little girl. Erik bit back a curse at the terrible damage that had been done to the girl's body.

"Mommy…mommy…?" the little girl croaked so weakly Erik could barely hear her, as he looked at Erik. Erik stared into her milky-white nearly pupil-less eyes and realized the girl was blind.

"It's ok. Hang on girl. DIANA, CHRISTINE, GET OVER HERE!" Erik screamed, before looking back to the little girl. The life sign began to fail. _No! Not when I'm so close._

"My mommy…she was here…she said no matter what happened she'd always be here for me…now she's gone…where's my mommy…I don't want…to…go…alone…"

And then the little girl slumped, and in Erik's head the reading he could see in his mechanical eye flatlined. As Christine and Diana, followed by the rest of the Legacy, drew near, they saw Erik's shoulders slump and knew they were too late.

Erik stared sadly at the little girl, slowly closing her dead eyes. _Born without sight…stricken with a terrible illness…crushed under rock and dying alone…how can fate be so cruel?_

But as Erik rose himself to his feet, looking around at the flaming wreckage, at the city that had been wiped from the face of the earth, he knew. And he knew fate could be even crueler. Far crueler.

For it let the man who did this live. A man who though he had the right to decide what lived or died.

And just like Agony, he wanted everything to die.

Erik's knuckles whitened as the fury rose and exploded through him, and he threw back his head and screamed.

"VAGANE! I DON'T CARE IF I HAVE TO GO TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH, TO HELL ITSELF, OR BEYOND! I WILL FIND YOU! AND FOR YOUR CRIMES, YOU'LL GET NO MERCY FROM ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Far away, the smirking face of Vagane watched Erik scream his vow to the heavens.

"I think not Failure. Not for you. Not now. But soon."

And with that, Vagane pressed a button, causing the image to vanish as he turned around to look at his prize acquisitions.

Marron and Videl floated in twin tubes, wires and various other mechanical devices attached to them. For now they still slept, but soon they would awake, and he could begin.

His godhood was nigh.

"Soon, Failure. Soon."

__

To Be Continued! (And remember, I like long reviews! Nik Nak, this means you!)

Editor's Note: No, Ash Merseric is not a self-insertion. I just really like the name Ash, hence I have it and so does he. That's all.

Another Editor's Note: No, the final creature the Legacy fought was not based on SkullGreymon.

Useless Trivia Question: The monsters that the Legacy fought seem vaguely familiar? In truth, I patterned them after a very old toy line I recalled one day. If anyone can name what the toyline was (hin: very popular and rather old) in your review, or if you can even to me one better and name the names of the toys, you win…uhhhh…my respect! And uh, the promise I'll do something wonderful for you someday! And if you're an author, uh, I'll mention you to try and help you get more reviews! Well, good luck! In any case, gimme a long review! I love 'em! GIMME GIMME GIMME! *Men in white coats give Ash his medication.* Ok, I'm better now.


	3. Who Rules the Night?

Chapter 3: Who Rules the Night?

__

"She looks like a flower but stings like a bee, unlike any girl in history."

"She Bangs", by Ricky Martin

"A faint cold fear thrills through my veins"

Shakespeare

There was only one thing Erik was sure of, and that was he felt more tired then he had ever felt in his life. Blinking slowly, he stared off at the light green wall that surrounded the large room Erik had set up for a makeshift meeting area. Its size was due to Erik's thinking he would have needed great amount of space in the room to fit everyone in.

He had thought wrong. Indeed, as he glanced over the table, seeing all the gaps where the Z Fighters should have been, a tinge of sadness crept into his heart. The fact that they were resting up in the makeshift infirmary down one of the hallways gave him no comfort. Neither did the fact that their injuries had been healed by Diana's great efforts. Erik had always respected Ash's mother, her devotion to a religion Erik had denouced more then a few times gave him enough reason too. But with the fact that the healing needed for several of the Z Fighters was immensely complicated, and the fact that Diana was older and had less endurance then the rest of them, make him respect her all the more. Christine had helped, and she had taken some of the strain off the priestess, but it had still been hell on the aging woman. But she had not given up, treating people she had never met like close friends. She had most likely saved the lives of most of the warriors. And in a way, that was a greater power then any of them possessed.

But the effort had not been without cost, as Erik glanced over to his fellow Legacy members. Of all of them, Diana was the only one missing. She had tried to join them with their meeting, but her exhaustion had been quite apparent, and everyone had insisted that she go and rest. With Ash promising to fill her in on what she missed, Diana had been helped to a room by Bulma.

Bulma…

Erik had never gotten a chance to meet the woman. He'd heard of her, her mind and then her life robbed from her by Agony, yet another life he had been unable to save from the demonic malevolence who haunted his every waking and sleeping moment. But unlike many of them, Erik had been able to restore Bulma's life with a wish. And while it was something that had brought Agony back from the dead, a place Erik had sought to put her for so long, he never regretted it for a second.

Most people would find it ludicrous that Erik thought that way, would make such a sacrifice for a woman he had never known. But Erik had never been known for thinking about himself. That was obvious.

Or at least that was the way it had been, for Erik had met Bulma now. She had thanked him like a friend she had known for years once the whole mess of bringing the badly injured Z Fighters back to Capsole Corp was settled (Indeed, Erik was glad he had Pan to give them directions, otherwise he wouldn't have known what to do), holding him tight in a hug. Although his mask of stone had not slipped, Erik had been somewhat rattled by the woman's gratitude, not just for saving her family's life from Vagane but bringing her and them back with his wish. He may have gone back to his world after the Agony massacre, but the Z Fighters had apparently made sure he was not forgotten for his deeds. It was not a legacy Erik was used to hearing of. At least not in a positive way.

Erik sighed and took his mind off Bulma's greeting as he looked at the Z Fighters who had been able to make it. Piccolo and Eighteen had been the first to recover, their alien and mechanically enhanced flesh proving to be somewhat easier in mending. Along with them were Trunks, Pan, and finally, Gohan, who was hurt but apparently not enough to keep him away. Piccolo and Eighteen had only known of Erik, and thus their greeting was mostly cordial, their minds fixed on the plight of people they loved or obessessed with the experience they had just gone through, as Erik's eyes travelled over to Piccolo, floating in a corner, arms and legs crossed, head bowed and eyes closed in concentration. The way the Namek had to ponder over everything was something he could relate to. He did a good deal of it himself.

Trunks and Gohan, on the other hand, had been somewhat warmer. Gohan, in particular, was glad to see Erik again. Erik's eyes travelled over to the hybrid, looking apon his deeply bruised face as he sat with his daughter. He was whispering to her, and although Erik didn't mean to pry, he could still pick it up. Gohan was trying to comfort Pan, and himself, about the fate of Videl. Erik sighed again. He didn't know how he was going to break it to Gohan, but if Vagane had Videl…had specifically picked her…

Erik knew all to well what it meant to be one of Vagane's Chosen.

Erik glanced at his fellow Legacy members again. The group was talking within themselves, trusting for Erik to make the introductions. Erik sighed again. He had put it off long enough.

He stood to get his friend's attention and tapped the table a few time to get Piccolo and co's.

"Ok." Erik said, and suddenly found himself speechless, a rare occurance for him.

"Ok." Erik repeated. Again he blanked. Fortunately, this time Gohan came to his rescue.

"Erik…is everyone going to be ok?"

"What…oh. Yes. From the three senzu beans I was able to gleen from all our friends…it is a stroke of good luck that some of you carried one…and from Diana and Christine's efforts, we have managed to repair all of your major injuries. Unfortunately Gohan, while Diana and Christine's healing powers can repair wounds, they cannot restore energy like Senzus. I am afraid that most of your friends will be bedridden for some time while they regain their strength, a good several hours at the least. But they'll be back and better then ever in good time…I just hope it's enough."

Erik paused, then went on.

"There have been a few brief introductions…but I would like to wait until everyone is back on their feet for we exchange major information. But in short, my friends…this is the group I spoke of the last time I came here."

"The Legacy. Pleased to meet you. I'm Trunks." Trunks said, although he made no move to shake hands. It was not a gesture of rudeness, but rather that of exhaustion. Although more fit then many of the Z Warriors, including his father and sister, Trunks had still suffered a severe beating, and although healed, it was clear he was still feeling it.

"Yes. The Legacy. I'll save individual introductions for later, if I may. But these people are my allies…my…they decided to accompany me here this time…but that is beside the point."

Erik paused again.

"The situation is not good. I do not know how, but Vagane has somehow managed to sway Goku to his side, and if I know Vagane, it was not done through a good job of convincing. That is bad enough in itself. However, we also have the situation that all the Senzu Beans have suddenly disappeared, if we weren't at a disadvantage enough. It will be some time before all our…allies, are back up on their feet. While we wait…I would like to ask some favours. I only ask because your speed and…"

"Erik…don't worry. After what you did for us, you don't have to worry about us turning you down." Gohan said, wincing slightly. Erik smiled slightly, although it was an inward smile.

"Thank you. Then, my friends, we have to do some things. First, we must aquire more Senzu Beans. I trust that you know how. Also, we must try and get more allies. With Goku on Vagane's side, we need every single warrior we can get our hands on, no matter how weak or useless they could be…we need everyone we can. Every bit counts…especially against someone as strong as Goku…there is something else, but I will speak to Bulma about it. That's all I can say for now. Are there any questions?"

"Yeah. How'd you know we were in trouble Erik? And how'd you get back here?" Trunks said. Erik's features darkened slightly.

"I do not wish to discuss it…at the moment. Once everyone is gathered, I will explain."

"I see…very well Erik. I will do what I can." Trunks said.

"As will I." Gohan added. There were several other replies from the other Z warriors.

"Thank you my…allies. But speed is of the essence…so please hurry. Now…I must do some other things…I will speak to you all later." Erik said.

"Um, Erik…what are we supposed to do?" Ash said. He and his friends had remained largely silent, and Erik looked at his brother in law.

"You're the leader Ash. I'm sure you can find some way to make yourself useful. Now Trunks, I must speak with your mother…" Erik said, walking over to the hybrid. Trunks stood up and the two of them walked out the door, still continuing to talk.

"Well, you heard him guys. I guess we wait…kill time any way you can…" Ash said, as various members of the group stood up and began filing out of the room through the doors. The Z Warriors also left. Soon the room was empty except for Piccolo. And Lindsay.

Piccolo opened one eye to find the young woman looking him up and down, staring at him.

"What do you want?" he asked, a slight bit of grit in his voice. He respected what Erik had done enough to treat one of his allies with some degree of respect, but that would quickly change if the woman bothered him during meditation.

"Nothing…you just look so weird…you kinda look like the early science-fiction image of an alien, a little green man…well, green man anyway. You certainly ain't little."

"I would say so. Please don't bother me." Piccolo said, closing the eye. Lindsay did not move, and continued to stare for a few moments. Piccolo felt her curious gaze on him.

"Say, what are you doing?" she suddenly asked, her tone friendly. Picclo sighed inwardly and tried to figure out a way to get rid of the woman nicely. Well, as nicely as he could get.

"Meditating, and it's hard to do while being stared at." Piccolo said, keeping his eyes closed. Lindsay cocked her head.

"Meditating, eh? I can tell you want me gone, but I thought you might want to know of a special calming chant. It's supposed to help with stuff like that."

Piccolo opened one eye again. The woman was slightly irritating, but anything that could improve his meditation was interesting to him.

"Oh?"

"Yeah."

"I see. How does it go?" Piccolo asked.

"You wanna know? Ok. Repeat after me. Ohwa."Lindsay said. Piccolo opened his other eye inquisitively, but decided that the woman meant him no harm.

"Ohwa." He repeated.

"Tahna."

"Tahna."

"Siam."

"Siam."

"Yeah. Those are the three words, now just say them all together, over and over." Lindsay said, and as if she could read his mind, she turned and started to leave.

Piccolo closed his eyes. He figured it was worth a try.

"Ohwa Tahna Siam. Ohwa Tahna Siam. Ohwa Tahna Siam. Ohwa Tahna Si…" Piccolo suddenly halted as he realized what he was saying. He heard a quick giggle and opened his eyes to see Lindsay vanishing out the door. He growled slightly.

"You little…well, I suppose I had best go check on Dende anyway…"

Vagane sat in his hoverchair, his fingers crossed and relaxed. He had been hard at work for the past several hours, going from computer to computer to enter all the commands he had to enter. But despite all his efforts, he had not tired one bit. Limits were of the human nature, something he had long ago left behind. He was not resting. He was waiting.

And what he was waiting for had finally happened, as Marron's eyes fluttered open.

It took her some time to adjust to her surroundings, floating in a tube with her arms and legs bound with thin but incredibly string twine, a clear breathing mask on her face that was attached to other equipment that had been fixed onto her head. But eventually, she figured it out, as Vagane saw her eyes fall on him. Then rage filled them, and she did her best to move forward and attack him, or more precisely, attack the glass so she could get to him. Vagane smirked as she banged on the tube walls in a futile effort to break them. He had made sure that Marron's chains restricted rather then completely immobolized her, because he knew this would happen.

It amused him greatly.

"So. You are awake my dear. Did you have a nice sleep?"

While Marron could hear him, due to a built in mike in the apparatus that surrounded her head and face, the link was only one way and hence Vagane could not hear Marron. But he could see her mouth, and from the contortions it went through, along with her furious and violent body movement as she banged on the tube walls, gave him a good enough idea on her reply.

"Now, now, that's not nice. You should be humble in the face of superiority." Vagane said. Marron's outburst did not change tone. A slight frown crossed Vagane's face. He could tolerate disrespect, but not for very long. He reached over and tapped a button.

Marron's eyes suddenly filled with pain and her mouth opened in a silent scream as blue energy suddenly coursed through her, sending her body into violent contortions. The thin, clear greenish fluid Marron resided in bubbled slightly as her body was wracked with the hurting energy. It went on for ten seconds before Vagane subsided, leaving Marron floating limply in the tube. She was down, but she hadn't gone back out.

"That's better. You should feel proud girl. The life you were going to live was to accomplish nothing but waste. But now you will serve a far more important purpose. You will help crown a new force of creation…even though you most likely won't live to see it."

Marron's eyes went wide at Vagane's words, as a keyboard extended from Vagane's chair and he began to tap commands into it.

Then Marron saw IT. She couldn't make out what it was, only that it looked like something out of Dr. Frankenstein's nightmares, a terrible twisted device attached to a long black cord.

Then she saw where it was going, and again she screamed, a pleading scream of frantic protest.

But Vagane couldn't hear it, and even if he could, it wouldn't have changed one thing.

As the device began to insert, Marron howled in agony.

Vagane just smiled cruelly.

"Why are humans always so stupid that they can't recognize a truly great purpose?"

As Marron cotinued to silently wail, Vagane turned to Videl, who was starting to come around herself, as if she could hear Marron's screams. Vagane glanced over at Marron's thrashing form as blood began to leak into the clear fluid.

"I love my work."

"That's the whole gist of it, Bulma. You think you can build it?"

Bulma blinked, looking at Erik's expressionless face. Despite the mask, she could see a hint of worry behind his eyes.

"Well…the way you explained it, it seems possible…but I never would have thought of combining those technologies and utilizing them in conjection with…"

"Yeah, I know. The scientists who built it on our world were laughing pretty much the whole time too…well, at least until it worked."

"But Erik…" Trunks said, and the cyborg looked over to the purple haired warrior. "From what I learned, the opening between worlds was a freak accident, a one time thing. Only you were supposed to remember it…so how did…?"

Erik grimaced.

"………………All these years, he was watching me. He told me so…he saw everything. He saw the incident…it intrigued him…and somehow he figured out how to create a steady Gateway between worlds. How do you think I got this technology? He gave it to me."

"But why? Why would he…?"

"Don't ask me what goes on in the mind of someone as insane as Vagane, Trunks. It must serve some purpose to him, but he will find that his choice was fatal, mark my words, Trunks."

Trunks was silent. The sheer intensity and hate in Erik's voice convinced him that Erik was speaking the truth.

"Well Erik, I'll get started as soon as possible…"

"Here, I'll save you some time." Erik said, raising his right arm and curling his hand into a fist. The FS-X peeled away from the knuckles to reveal the dull metal underneath. There was a slight whirring noise and suddenly a small panel opened, revealing a strange looking extension. "Show me your main computer and I'll jack into it for you, and download the information right into it. That way you can work easier."

Bulma blinked again.

"I guess so."

As Bulma turned to head elsewhere, motioning for Erik to follow, Trunks sighed and fell in behind them. He had some more questions for Erik, and he needed anything to take his mind off his father and sister.

Vegeta was in torment. But it wasn't a physical torment, or anything that would alarm his wife or son. It wasn't even a self-caused torment via his memories on how badly Kakarott had beaten him (and he had been on the RIGHT side for once!). No, it was a whole new torment, one he had never experienced before.

"I SAID, I don't want to talk to you. GO AWAY!" Vegeta growled, pulling the scratchy sheets over his head. Lindsay was unperturbed. Smiling mischievely, she simply pulled the sheet back.

"Look troll man…"

"OK, FOR THE LAST TIME DON'T CALL ME THAT!" Vegeta roared, as he sat up and went face to face with the young woman. "I am not a person you want to be friends with, and believe me, the only reason I haven't blown you to oblivion is because of your relationship with Erik!"

"Wondergoth? Funny, he usually inspires fear, not respect. Not many people look up to him…although in your case you wouldn't have a choice, one way or the other…"

A second later Lindsay's rear smacked onto the ground as Vegeta shoved her off his bed.

"GO AWAY!"

Lindsay sighed and mock brushed herself off as she stood up, putting on a serious air.

"Look…Vegeta, wasn't it? I have a general idea how you feel…"

"YOU CANNOT CONCEIVE OF HOW I FEEL!"

"Um, yes." Lindsay said, waving her hand to give the impression that Vegeta had bad breath. "I have an idea from what I've been told. The one who beat you and everyone else…Goku, I believe, is a long time rival of yours. I don't know the whole story, but I know how badly you wanted to beat him. And I think I can guess on how angry, how enraged you are that you not only lost again, but lost badly. Your anger is a cover for your humiliation, the doubts that have been raised in you about your fighting ability. But I know something, Vegeta. The man who was controlling Goku…a man I had heard was a truly great hero and overall person…he doesn't play fair. Erik has made that clear. I sense you were cheated in the battle, Vegeta. Until we know otherwise…perhaps you should save your energy, Vegeta, and not waste it on pointless rage."

"That is easy for you to say, girl…far too easy." Vegeta muttered. The girl had some points, proving she wasn't a complete happy go lucky idiot as he first thought, but that was not enough to calm him.

"Well then, if you can't seem to take your mind off of this yourself…I'll help! Let's play a game!"

If Vegeta had not learned to respect his wife's property, there would have been a few Lindsay-shaped holes in the wall now.

"I AM THE PRINCE OF THE SAIYA-JINS! I DO NOT PLAY GAMES!"

"Oh really. Find, then I'll just have to get Mr. Socko out and kiss the boo-boo instead…" Lindsay said with glee. Vegeta suddenly had a revalation that maybe it would be better for his blood pressure if he gave in, just this once.

"NO! NO! DON'T HAVE MR. SOCKO KISS THE BOO-BOO!" Vegeta yelled, and winced inwardly as he realized what he had just said. "Very well, if I play this game a bit, will you LEAVE ME ALONE?"

"Sure!" Lindsay quipped. Vegeta felt some relief.

"What is the game then?"

"It's a numbers game. I say something that has a number in it, then you say the same thing with the next number and so on. I'll start! One day, I was walking down the street, and I saw a sandbox. I "one" the sandbox."

Vegeta arched an eyebrow. He couldn't believe he was doing this.

"Sigh…….."

"What, you don't get it?"

"I GET IT! I get it!…..Sigh, I "two" the sandbox."

"I three the sandbox!" Lindsay replied with glee. Vegeta growled. He was going up to twenty at the most and then all the demons in hell wouldn't be able to keep him going.

"I four the sandbox". Vegeta muttered.

"I five the sandbox!"

"I six the sandbox."

"I seven the sandbox!"

"I eight the sandbo…"

Too late, Vegeta realized he'd fallen for it. Before he could start cursing though, Lindsay burst out laughing.

"You ate the sandbox?" Lindsay chuckled with glee. "How did it taste?"

"GET OUT!"

"Aha! This place does have a table the right size!" Paul said as he dragged a large card table out of a storeroom. The metal "leg" that held up the table made a loud mettalic shriek as Paul dragged it across the floor to one of the corners in the large room that he and several of his comrades has set up in to wait.

"At last!" Brigh said as he placed his chair down. "Ok people, ready to lose all your money?"

"In a pig's eye Brigh." Rod said. "I need the money more then you."

"Dad…" Victoria groaned.

"Hmmmm…only four…" Bright said as he whipped out a deck of cards he had found. He began to distribute when his eye caught a male figure as he walked through the room.

"Hey Erik! You wanna play? It'll pass the time, those Z guys look like they're going to be napping a while yet." Brigh called, trying to be friendly. Erik stopped and looked at the one who was his only rival for the title of the master of the shadows.

"Yeah! Those Z warriors need their Zzzz's!" Paul cracked. There was some chuckling from the group, mostly from Brigh. Erik narrowed his eyes.

"Not now Brigh. I have much to do. Piccolo and Eighteen have come back, I need to speak to them…although I will ask, where is Christine?" _And if you took the beating they had Brigh, I think you would want to catch a few Z's yourself, if you had somehow survived it._

"Your sis? She went off with Ash somewhere. They're probably making out in a broom closet or something." Paul snickered. The snicker cut off as he saw Erik's face darken.

"Don't talk that way about my sister, Wyred." Erik said in a half growl, and Paul knew to shut up. When Erik started referiing to you via your codename instead of your normal one, you were starting to skate on thin ice with him.

"Sorry." Paul muttered.

"Lighten up Erik. You know Paul, he's like that." Victoria said, trying to play peacemaker. The darkness lifted from Erik's face, and then it slid back to his normal stone mask of no emotion.

"No matter. I don't suppose you have seen Celeste?"

"No. Haven't seen her since we started to get settled here, back when all those Z warriors were hurt, instead of a good many of them being hurt but some on their feet and walking around. You would know where she could be better then me, Erik." Brigh said.

"It figures." Erik muttered.

"Something wrong, Erik?" Rod piped up.

"No Rod…this is typical of her. She's immensely shy around new people…she tries to keep her solitude until she feels she can trust them…and I don't blame her…" Erik said, more to himself then as an answer. And almost as if he was a ghost, Erik was suddenly gone, out the door he had been heading for without a sound.

"Damn. I need to get me some shoes like that, you know the ones that don't seem to make a sound no matter what you do." Paul muttered, picking up his cards and trying to hide his distaste.

"It's not the shoes, it's the training. I should know." Brigh said, looking at his cards.

"I'm not surprised."

The three men looked at Victoria.

"What hon?" Rod said.

"Celeste. You notice how she was when she was with us and Erik wasn't? How tense and jumpy she was, especially if one of us had to speak to her? It's like she expected us all to jump on her and tear her apart if she lowered her guard in the slightest…I don't know what happened to her to make her like that."

"Well, she certainly didn't act like a scared deer with that charging headfirst through the Gateway before we were sure it would work…that and the way she attacked that beast head on…from a timid mouse to a rabid dog." Rod added

"Tres creepy, but hey, if you want to be Erik's successor, it must help to have a few screws loose…not denoting what could have caused them, of course. We all know Erik's sordid tale. And birds of a feather flock together." Paul said, trying to figure out whether or not if he could bluff his way through this hand.

"I think you're falling short Paul…I've seen the way she looks at him…those extra long glances…I think she wants to be more then that to old Wondergoth."

"Don't call him that."

Brigh looked over to the female voice and smirked.

"Hey Chastity! You wanna join us and pl-ow!" Brigh yelled as Paul leaned over and smacked him across the back of the head.

"Don't invite her to play, Brigh! She's the friggin card genius! She'll take all our money!"

Chastity laughed.

"And then some." Chasity replied, smirking seductively. "But no. Erik said we have time to kill…and I am…"hungry". So I'm going to go hunt…I hope there's a bar nearby." Chastity said, and then Brigh noticed that Chasity wasn't wearing her immensely skimpy battle costume. The minidress she had replaced it with covered her better to a degree, but not by much, and it was so tight that it looked like it would suffocate the young woman. Chastity ran her hands through her fiery red (and newly washed and brushed) hair.

"Have fun Chas." Brigh said, a sudden but very faint hint of bitterness suddenly in his voice as he turned back to his cards. If Chastity noticed, she didn't show it, as she waved goodbye and headed out the same door Erik had gone out.

"Mreow. I just hope she gets a decent guy…I don't think this would be a good place for one of her…"stands", if you know what I mean." Rod said.

"Indeed. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe she and Erik…" Brigh said.

"Nah. They're just good friends, and that's true. And you know why. Although I'm sure Chastity would have no regrets…I think that Erik would be a million times better then half the guys she's let…ah fuck it, I fold." Paul cursed, tossing his hand down with disgust.

The shadows were looked apon with apprehension by many, and feared by even more, but to the young woman named Celeste, they were home. They were the comforting touch to her tormented, eternally bleeding soul…they were her kind. Like Erik, she had let them embrace her and found it to be far more kind and far more loving then the touch of all the others.

Them.

Celeste ground her teeth slightly. She would not let them have any power. They were dead. She had seen to that. She had torn the life from their evil, destroying bodies…they couldn't hurt her any more.

She was the strong one. She was the worthy one. Erik had said that…and he couldn't lie to her. He wouldn't.

Erik…

Celeste was calm in her solitude…but with him…only could she truly be at peace.

If only…

If only…

Celeste sighed and closed her eyes, relaxing his tense arms back onto her crossed legs as she continued to meditate, fighting her eternal battle against the furious torment that waged within her.

Even as she knew that it would never be over until she could say it.

She could destroy armies.

She could look into the eye of hurricanes.

She could walk on broken glass without pain and without caring.

He had taught her all that. Along with so much more.

She felt he could give her the power, the confidence, the sense of destiny, to do anything.

So why could't she say three simple words?

But it did not matter…she had to stay strong. She owed that much to Erik.

After all…no matter what words they had used to sear and tear at her heart…whatever blows they had used to hurt and disfigure her body….he had kept her going…his values…his ways…his desire…his caring.

He had given her back her life after all they had done to tear it away from her.

And now, come hell or high water, she was going to do the same for him.

She would help him have his vengeance.

No matter what the cost.

"That bad?"

"I'm afraid so." Piccolo said, looking disturbed himself. "I can't sense Dende at all, and we Namekseijin have a bond."

"Dammit…Vagane is involved in this, I know it." Erik cursed. "Are you sure?"

"I saw what was left of Korin's Tower…and if you check it against Bulma's Dragon Radar, I'm sure it will read the same way I sensed." Piccolo said, a faint anger stirring in him. "I don't understand it…how could he…so quickly?"

"He was playing three moves ahead…all the time…until he got Goku. Now he's in control of the game, and he can go as slow as he wants. He's daring us to play…" Erik trailed off. "Thank you Piccolo. I know you are still in pain from the battle."

"I can tolerate pain…but I wonder if this Vagane can say the same…" Piccolo said in a growl, and went off. Erik could sense kindred feelings in Piccolo, and it almost brought a smile to his face. Almost.

"I hope you did better." Erik said to Eighteen. She had stood by, listening, during his conversation with Piccolo, and the words had worried her as well. She was trying to hide it, but Erik saw it anyway.

"I did, somewhat. This is my brother, Seventeen." Eighteen said, gesturing to the dark-haired man next to her. Erik shook his hand.

"Nice to see you again, Seventeen."

"Likewise…although I can't say I remember you…" Seventeen said. It was quick, but he saw it, the quick look in Erik's lone human eye that said "I don't think you want to know how I met you initially". He did not press the matter further, letting Erik turn back to his sister.

"I have news, Eighteen. Krillian's awake, he's asking for you."

"Oh….thank you." Eighteen said, hurrying off. Erik turned back to Seventeen.

"I'm sorry I had to drag you into this…again…after what happened last time…"

"Stow it Erik. The instant Vagane took my goddaughter, he became my enemy as well, and I'll be damned if I let him get away with whatever crime he's planning."

__

If he hasn't already started. Erik thought, and repressed a shudder as nightmarish memories came back to him. Being broken and helpless, chained to a cold table as unthinkable violations happened to him…and the joy in a pair of mad eyes…

"Some of the other warriors are still recovering…it could be a little while yet until we're ready…you'd best find a timekiller." Erik said. Seventeen nodded wordlessly and walked off.

Left alone, Erik raised his right hand and stared at it as the FS-X peeled off. Erik stared at the smooth metal fingers, the metallic palm and wrist that trailed into a limb also forged of cold steel and incredibly advanced cybernetics.

__

Once, this arm was human. Flesh and blood. Able to feel when it touched something. Now it's just dead metal…cold, unfeeling metal…like so much more of me…it would have been better to have lost a limb completely then to have it replaced by THIS…this accursed thing he built…no matter how much Corrupt blood I spill with it, no matter how many lives I tear from evil bodies…I can still feel his stain…the stain of him…HIM…damn him…DAMN HIM! DAMN HIM STRAIGHT TO…

"Erik?" came a sudden voice, and Erik was snapped out of his inner turmoil. The FS-X made a very faint gurgling noise as it again slid back and covered Erik's arm, as if it were ashamed that such a thing could exist and that it had to be covered.

"…Gohan. Sorry, I was thinking." Erik said, looking at the hybrid. _My god…he's still wearing that destroyed outfit he wears when he's in his superhero identity…the things you don't notice when there's a crisis._

"Yeah, I figured." Gohan replied. _I actually figured a lot more. Thinking appeared to be the least on your mind…you looked like you were about to snap and lay waste to anything you could see…_

Erik noticed two figures behind Gohan. Gohan noticed his noticing.

"Well, you said to get anyone you could…and I figured he deserved to know." Gohan said, gesturing for one of the figures to come forward. Erik found himself looking at a man who was beginning to approach his twilight years. He had a compact, muscular body and black hair that had once poofed out into a semi-afro, before it had begun to recede to form a large bald patch on the top of the man's head.

"Erik…this is my father in law…and Videl's father…Mr. Satan. Mr. Satan, this is Erik Damien Ravensky. I told him as much as I could about you." Gohan said, aiming the last part at Erik. Erik, trying to repress the murderous rage he had been feeling moments ago, shook Mr. Satan's hand as well.

"I'm sorry about your daughter…I swear I'll do everything in my power to get her back…even if it means my death."

Mr. Satan blinked. _I have known him for but a few seconds, and yet he makes such a strong vow for me…Gohan was right, he does take his goals seriously…but I fear that like me, he is far too willing to take the weight of the world on his shoulders…and unlike me, he may not realize it in time to avoid being crushed beneath it…_

"Believe me, Erik. It won't be you dying. It will be the bastard who dared to kidnap her. I might not be the strongest in the world as I believed for so long, but I will still use every ounce of strength I have to get my daughter back."

"That's the spirit." _Thank god time has gotten rid of the arrogance I heard he once had. That would be the last thing I needed at the moment._

"Well Erik, I would like you to meet…eh?" Mr. Satan said as he turned around to find no one but Gohan behind him. "Gohan, where did Buu go?"

"Buu?" Erik said. He could remember another figure beside Mr. Satan, but he had given it a fleeting glance and nothing more. All he could remember was that the figure had been rather bulky-looking.

"He's my closest friend…and an incredible warrior…I am sure he could help…if I could find him! He does this sometimes…wanders off for some reason only he knows and understands…I'll go look for him." Mr. Satan said, looking around at the various doors and hallways leading out of the room, finally picking one and heading off.

"How's Goten doing?" Gohan asked.

"Much better. He'll be walking around with you in a bit…whether that is a good thing…I don't know."

Spike had just about had it. Ever since Vagane had teleported them back to the laboratory that he had Shoelong or whatever that dragon's name had been build, he had almost immediately vanished with the two girls. And after that had come a long series of excuses, delivered through his Valkyries, on how busy he was. Spike was not one for sitting around and doing nothing. His aid in the annihalation of that city named after the devil had been greatly saitisfying, but the saitisfaction had faded eventually.

Spike was never patient, but for godhood, he decided he would give it the old college try, even if he had never went to college. He'd walked around the huge lab/fortress, getting lost more then a few time. But each room seemed to be a carbon copy of another, filled with computers and all sorts of scientific shit that he could do without. After then he had simply been sitting around, or pacing, or staring out one of the few windows at the stormy skies that swirled around the mountains that lab was built in, and growing more annoyed by the hour.

And finally, he had had enough.

"BLOODY HELL! BY THE TIME HE'S DONE, I'LL BE OLD ENOUGH TO COLLECT SOCIAL SECURITY!" Spike roared to the room.

"You are already old enough to collect Social Security." Came Adam's dry, annoyed voice. Unlike Spike, Adam had managed to occupy the time at one of the computer banks, where he was studying the massive sources of information that Vagane had gathered. Adam had even found himself slightly impressed at the sheer amount of it, although the impression had quickly faded. Even since then he had sat in a chair, his computers jacked into Vagane's, motionless except for the blinking of his eyes. Spike had kept quiet enough so that he could tolerate the vampire, but his sudden outburst had annoyed Adam enough to stop his observations.

Spike glared at Adam. The high horse that Adam resided on was starting to really get under his skin. Spike glanced sideways at Goku. If anything creeped him out, and those things were very few, it was how Goku had acted. Before Vagane had vanished to do whatever it was that was taking so long, he had given a whispered order to Goku. Spike wondered if it had been "Do your best to imitate a tree" because Goku had not moved from the spot since. Hell, he hadn't moved _at all._ He had stood, arms flexed at his side, eyes forward, a look of complete loyalty and obedience on his face.

And it gave Spike an idea, as he thought back on how Goku had annihalated the people of Satan City and Satan City itself, and how he had also taken apart the warriors Vagane had spoken of with seemingly no effort at all. Spike knew when he was outclassed, and he knew Goku had more power in his pinkie then all of them put together, or so it would seem.

Spike looked back to Adam, the plan already forming.

"Hey, mate, does it bother you?"

Adam, this time with a slight degree of annoyance, again turned his head towards Spike.

"What?"

"Him, mate." Spike said, jerking a thumb at Goku. "You saw it. What he did. I don't care if you think you're a god or whatever, I severely doubt you could have taken out _ONE _of those golden-haired blokes, much less ALL of them, in such a quick, decisive fashion. He did. Now, one must question why Vagane needs us if he has him. He could blow you to hell with a wave of his hand. And I think that you, Mr. "IQ Off The Charts", know that damn well. Don't it get you?"

Adam cocked his head slightly. He couldn't believe what the vampire was attempting. Even with the giant holes in his logic, most notably that what the vampire was assigning to him applied to _him_ even more, he had attempted to one-up him.

"No." Adam said, and he meant it.

"No? Why not?"

__

Because you're a fool not to realize it, you waste of dead tissue. Adam thought, but for some reason, he did not say that. Instead, with a gesture of his arm, he indictated Goku.

"Look at him. One word from Vagane and he's as stoic as a statue, as if he was carved of stone instead of flesh. He now lives only to serve Vagane, and hence, he also lives to serve us. He's a weapon in an organic body, and nothing more. He cannot think for himself, act for himself, or desire anything other then what we want him to. I have plans and visions far beyond his, and your comprehension. To me, he is simply a gun, to be aimed and shot at whatever Vagane, and I, choose. He is a tool. Why should I be envious of the power of a tool? To be envious of him would be the equivilant of being jealous of a hurricane or a forest fire because of the forces they wield. So no, vampire, it does not "get me", and that mangling of the english language shows exactly why you could not have known that right off the bat."

Spike would have replied with something extremely nasty, when the door behind him suddenly opened, and Vagane floated out. Goku, motionless for so long, finally moved, kneeling before the doctor. Vagane smirked slightly and motioned at the saiya-jin as Spike turned around, his anger bleeding into annoyance.

"Well, it's about BLOODY TIME!" Spike cursed, as Goku pushed past him and stood by Vagane's side.

"Do not speak so disrespectfully of Vagane, William." Alexia said as she suddenly walked through the same door as Vagane. Spike glanced at the woman, then back at Vagane.

"Hey, what gives? How come she got to watch and I had to sit around twiddling my thumbs?"

"Do not worry yourself, Spike. Alexia was merely closer to me when I left, as was Tormentor, so I merely fetched them first." Vagane said, and then behind him the massive bulk of Tormentor loomed, before the demon walked around Vagane and stood behind Spike. Spike put his hands on his hips.

"So, what gives?"

"What gives, Spike, is that I am happy to report that everything is in place. The Messiah Project has begun. Now, I know I have not been very revealing on just how I plan to grant us all power beyond imagining, but that was because I wanted to make sure everything was in place first. Now it is, and I will tell you my plan."

"Good. Where's the popcorn?" Spike asked. Alexia glared at the vampire, but Spike ignored it as Vagane began to speak.

The scientist went on a long time, and during the process Spike's eyes grew larger and larger, until they were virtually the size of saucers. Even Adam seemed to be a tad bit amazed of what Vagane spoke off.

But eventually, the scientist finished, and as he leaned back slightly, lacing together his fingers, Spike finally spoke.

"No…bleeding…way. There is NO WAY this is gonna work!"

"As amazing as it seems, I share some of the doubts the vampire does. This plan…it speaks of…well, madness. It does not seem possible."

"Oh, maybe not. But it is, my allies. I have never been more sure of anything in my life. It is my dream, and no mistakes have been made. Believe me, the first key may seem incredibly coincidental…but it happened. And it will happen. We will see that this power does exist, and that it can be harnessed, and together…together, it will put us so far above anything in terms of power that we will reign for eternity. Nothing will be able to stand before us. What we will become...will make Goku here look like the weakest child. I promise. And if my some miracle beyond miracle, I am wrong…then you may kill me."

There was silence.

"I still don't believe it." Spike said. Vagane looked at him.

"Really? I would think you Spike, after your certain…"experience" over a century ago, would be the first. But you will see. In time. Because I am afraid it will take time, my friends. But fear not. It will not take an eternity, oh no, far from it, but you will not be granted godhood within the next minute. While the wheels are in motion, there are things that must still be done. So I plead with you, grant me your patience. I promise it will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams."

Tormentor and Alexia looked happy, or as happy as Tormentor could get. Even Adam seemed to be pleased. The only one who did not change expression was Spike, who still wore disbelief and annoyance on his face.

Vagane paid the vampire no attention, as he turned his head and motioned slightly. A second later, the Valkyrie known as Belinda was at his side, head bowed.

"Yes, Master Vagane."

"Take Goku and do what I have told you. I trust it to be done to the point of perfection."

"Yes master."

"Goku, go with her and do what she says."

"I will do it, Master Vagane." Goku said in the evil whisper his voice had become. A few seconds later, the two were gone down another hallway. Vagane looked back at Spike.

"Now…Spike, I have heard through my Valkyries that you are very impatient."

"Very impatient." Spike said, mocking Vagane's voice. "Mate, speak common guy english, I'm bouncing off the fucking walls!"

"I see. Well then, seeing how you are so bored, I do have something that you could do, something that you will find very amusing, if you are up to it."

Spike's interest was perked.

"Oh really?"

"Yes, if you would follow me…" Vagane said, slowly turning around and heading back down the way he had come some time before. Spike did so.

"Hell mate, I'm so bloody bored I'll clean toilets…I don't know if there was ever a time when I had to sit around and do utterly nothing…you need a bloody TV in here or something…um, mate, you don't want me to clean the toilets, do you…?"

"Amazing. I don't believe it. I don't believe it at all." Dr. Chen said, slowly raising his goggles at he looked at the mass of crackling energy that danced before him. "I thought it was some crazy joke."

"Any sane man would." Bulma said, removing her own goggles and looking at the large group around the room. "Gentlemen, ladies, thank you all for coming in here…I hate to bring this up now, but I'm afraid I must. You all know the agreement you signed on this project. I assure you the consequences for breaking it will be as serious as written. Please, no matter what, keep this a secret. For your own good."

There were some verbal agreements, but Bulma barely heard them as she turned and left. She didn't have to go far.

"Thank you for building it so quickly." Erik said, his arms crossed as he leaned in a corner.

"You're welcome…hell, I'm surprised we did it as quickly as we did. If I was a believer in that sort of thing, I'd say it was a miracle."

"Don't let Diana hear you say that." Erik replied. Bulma smiled slightly. Erik did not reciprocate.

"I have one thing to ask you. That lone code you gave us…that leads back to your world, right?"

"Yes, it's the only other code I have besides the one for your world…"

"Where did you get them?"

Erik's face darkened.

"Him."

"Oh." Bulma said, realizing that if the information to build the Gateway had come from the package Erik spoke of as little as possible, the codes had surely as well. After all, the last time Erik had come here had been an accident. "But…the length that is needed to enter the combination…all the potential letters and numbers…"

"I know. All the possible codes. Billions, possibly trillions of them. Where do they lead? God knows. Other worlds, nothing and oblivion, something even I couldn't conceive of? But now is not the time to find out Bulma. If your scientists demand you must test it, I won't stop you, but you MUST do it in the tightest security possible. The last thing we need is some blob monster from Planet X being dropped into the middle of Capsole Corp."

"I know Erik. How is everyone going?"

"Much better. Almost everyone is back to normal. Give us another hour or two, and then I'll hold that meeting. And I'll fill in all the blanks there. I promise."

"Damn, just how big is this place anyway?" Spike said as he continued to walk behind Vagane. It seemed like he had been following the crippled scientist forever.

"Fifteen square miles, give or take a few feet." Vagane replied quietly.

"What? What do we need all that room for?"

"Plenty. In fact I am worried it may not be enough."

"Not enou…hey mate, I just got an idea. What don't you whip out one of your teleportation thingies and just WARP us to whereever we're going?"

"Because I don't need to. We're here."

Vagane, as he spoke, rounded one last corner to reveal a short hallway ending in a door. Vagane glided over to it and entered a code on a panel next to it. The door slid open silently, and Vagane floated in, followed by Spike.

Spike whistled. The room was rather large, and a good deal of the space was taken out by the computer at one end of it. Vagane floated up to it, and a panel extracted from it and extended into his hands. Spike watched as he began to type.

"Um, mate, so what's the mission? Do you want me to spot for you or something? I knew you were crippled, but to the degree that you need someone watching you when you're typing…"

Vagane chuckled.

"No William. My request is simple. I want you to kill someone."

Spike arched an eyebrow.

"That's it?"

"In a sense. However, this isn't some run of the mill victim. I want you to eliminate one of the group who interrupted us back at Satan City."

"Oh? Why do you need me? Why not just send Goku, He could blow 'em all to hell with one swipe of his hand."

"True, but that is not required, or desired. No Spike, I need you because none of my allies knows the shadows like you. I need you to be quick and silent with this mission. Go in, do it, and head out ASAP. But on the upside, you may kill your target any way you please, provided it does not attract any unneeded attention…"

"Heh. Forget THAT mate. They oughtta be lucky if they don't attract my attention."

Vagane arched an eyebrow.

"Maybe so. I have no doubts that you could easily slaughter one or two of them…but the Legacy travels in a pack. Attack one and make a lot of noise, and you'll find all the rest breathing down your neck. And even you, Spike, would be immensely hard pressed to beat them all. You had enough difficulty with Mrs. Summers, and a good many of the Failure's friends are basically her, hopped up on steroids."

Spike's face darkened, although whether it was by this knowledge or by the mention of the Slayer's name was uncertain.

"I can handle myself. Which one?"

"I will tell you, but first, I must give you some information."

"You've given me enough. Find and kill."

"Ah Spike…I admire your desire, but I do think you could use this info. After all, it is said that fools rush in where angels fear to tread."

"I don't need the advice of any angels. I doubt they would be eager to do me any favours."

Vagane laughed.

"Indeed. None the less, I am just trying to help you to know your enemy. After all, why settle for one kill when you can have two or three, and what I can tell you may mean that difference."

Spike sighed.

"Will this take long?"

"I'll try to make sure it doesn't." Vagane replied, turning his head back to the computer screen as he continued to tap. Readings began to scroll across the screen, and then suddenly an image appeared, a man with reddish hair, full body armour, and a broadsword.

"I'll work my way up. William Ward, aka Valiance. Very honourable, old fashioned type, due to his upbringing. He even speaks old style English, you know, "thee" and "forsooth" and stuff. However, his honour also makes him a hardy warrior. His armour is virtually unbreakable, along with his sword, which I believe is called "Heart and Soul". Unlike most of his allies, he is rather helpless without his weapon, but the times when it is not by his side are immensely few. And he knows how to use that sword. I've seen him in action."

"Hey mate, how do you know all this? Are you into that voyeur crap?"

Vagane chuckled.

"Hardly Spike. As you know, for years I have been watching the Failure, getting to know everything about him, waiting for the right moment…to BREAK him. And that means knowing everything about his allies, and dare I say, "friends". I know the Legacy as well as they know themselves. Anyway, that is Valiance. Moving on…" Vagane said, and tapped a few more keys. William vanished, and was quickly replaced with Chastity. Spike's eyes widened slightly.

"HE-llo. This just got more interesting." Spike said, oogling the very scantily clad female. Vagane smirked.

"Ironically, this little slut was named Chasity Faith at birth. However, she much prefers her code name, Jalapeno. Despite her "clothing", if you can call it that, do not underestimate her. She makes it up by carrying more weaponry then anyone else. She wields a pair of twin katana like blades known as the Doombringers, and she also has a barbed whip that she knows how to use even better then her blades. She posseses a good deal of martial arts talent, and then there is her greatest ability. She's a pyrokenetic, and that's the mildest, parden the pun, way of describing it. Her mastery over fire rivals that of Alexia. She can create it, control it…and use it. I'd avoid her if you can Spike, or you'll most likely be cooked, extremely well done. And I know vampires aren't very fond of fire."

"Suddenly I don't like her as much." Spike said. Vagane pressed a few more keys and Chastity vanished, to be replaced with Brigh.

"Brigh Smith, a modern day Robin Hood, and better then he ever was, as he will have you believe, perhaps to try and make you forget that his code name is Pincushion."

"WHAT?" Spike managed to say, before he started to laugh. "PINCUSHION? HE NAMED HIMSELF AFTER A SEWING INSTRUMENT?"

"Not exactly. Actually, it comes from his choice of weapon, throwing daggers. And he also knows how to use those daggers, which as you can see, are strapped all over him. He seems to have an unlimited supply of the damn things, whether it's by magic or by simple sleight of hand is questionable even to me. Along with that, he is also a master of the shadows, literally. He can vanish and reappear in them, sometimes moving a few feet and sometimes moving half a mile. And while he can only throw a few punches and kicks, and is at a disadvantage in an area with very bright light, he's still a force to be reckoned with."

Vagane pressed a few more keys. Brigh vanished and Lindsay appeared.

"Lindsay Jenkins, aka Luna. And the codename fits. This woman is more like a little girl, because she can't seem to take anything seriously. But press her and you will find she can. All her joking and immensely annoying antics aside, she's a supreme martial artist, and a master of using those handheld claws, the Blades of Blood, that also function as shoulder armour, at least in this picture. Oh, and like her good friend Victoria, who I'll get to in a bit, she can also transform into a dragon…"

"A DRAGON?" Spike said.

"Yes."

Spike was silent for a bit.

"Maybe you were right on not trying to take them all on at once."

"Maybe. Lindsay is very happy go lucky, but push her and she will try to make you into a snack. Fortunately, killing her, while useful, is not what we aid us most."

Spike looked a bit relieved, as Vagane continued to push buttons. Lindsay vanished and Rod appeared.

"Rod Merseric, aka Arcturus…"

"Arcturus?"

"It's a star."

"He named himself after a star?"

"Yes, that's just the way he is. He's the oldest of all the Legacy members, approaching fifty, and he knows little in the way of martial arts, but his swordmanship is second to none. No one knows how to use a blade better then him, including William and his son Ash. It may make him a one-trick pony, but he knows how to do the trick well enough to handle anything. On a side note, and with something I find both ironic and strange, despite his alliance to the forces of "good", his nearly seven foot sword is called the Holocaust."

Spike raised an eyebrow.

"What, was he a former Neo-Nazi?"

"No, and he doesn't belong to the Jewish religion either. In his words, it's derived from his interest in history, and his disgust at what Hitler, a truly great man, did. I think that he thinks by calling his blade that, and using it to cut down evil, he is doing some kind of good, or comuppance, or mockery, or something else, he never made it clear. Whatever his motives, it's a deadly sword. Also, on this note, his best attack is…"

"I don't care, he won't be using it on me anyway!"

"Hmmm, yes." Vagane said, tapping the keys again. Rod vanished and Diana appeared.

"Diana Merseric, aka Savinggrace. She's Ash's mother. She's the weakest, in a sense, of all of them, in the fact she knows no martial arts and barely knows how to use her staff as a weapon. But Diana does have one thing going for her. In her world, she is the female equivilant of the Pope, the highest person of the Roman Catholic and Christian Church. Diana's belief in her religion is unfaltering and unbreakable. Whether or not her god exists, and I doubt it, is not the issue though. I don't know is there is some entity up there, or if it's all in her head, but she commands power that is no less then, how shall we say, "holy". She can heal, and if pressed, she will use the power of her supposed god to hurt. I suggest you try and avoid her, Spike. Considering what you are, and what anything related with Christiandom seems to do to you, she poses more of a threat to you then any of them. I think her mere touch would burn you."

"Point well taken." Spike said, a hint of nervousness in his voice. Vagane tapped at his keys, and Diana vanished to be replaced by Victoria.

"Victoria Merseric, aka Echo…"

"Man, this is a real family group, isn't it?"

"Indeed. She's Ash's little sister, and if anyone is better then Lindsay, whether in martial arts, dragon abilities, or the use of her weapons, a mouthful called the SonicShockWaveLighting claws, it's her."

"I'll add her to the list." Spike said, trying to get all the names straight. Vagane was again tapping, and Victoria disappeared. She was swiftly replaced by Angie.

"Angelina Stalekisos, aka Compatriotess. She must have played too many AD&D games in her lifetime, because she fancies herself a female magician. But whatever her beliefs, she certainly has the "spells" part down. Get up close and she's not very strong, but she will most likely not let you get close. And even if you do, keep your guard up. She has a mean left jab."

Vagane repeated his usual, Angie vanished, and Paul appeared.

"Paul Rapanga. Ash's best friend and the most technically inclined of the Legacy. His gun was forged via some way that is unknown even to me, but it literally never runs out of ammo, and can fire virtually any kind of project, including mini-nuclear missles. On the other hand, it takes him time to switch from one type of projectile to another, and while it itself can't run out of ammo, it can run out of ammo in the current clip, thus forcing Paul to switch to another while the other type regenerates or whatever happens to it."

"Can it fire silver bullets?"

"Most likely."

"Is he smart enough to figure out that he should do that?"

"That is in question." Vagane smirked. Spike chuckled at that. Vagane pressed some more keys. Paul vanished and Christine appeared.

"Christine Merseric, aka Purity. Ash's wife, and the Failure's little sister, although how the two found that out is a source of great aggrivation to me. Among all the tasks I tried to do with the Failure, the elimination of that knowledge was one of the highest priorities."

"Then how did he remember, mate?"

"That, even I don't know. There were small gaps in my viewing of the Failure, it is possible that it occurred then. Why I spared her, I question even know. I should have just killed her."

"But mate, I was under the impression his whole family died…"

"That is incorrect. The truth is, the Failure had three sisters, Christine being the youngest. Her extreme youth, about one year at the time, along with the fact that she was a very calm baby, as I learned myself, allowed her to escape the notice of the murderers that I…heard about from the Failure." Vagane said, smirking. "When the Failure came into my possession, and I ordered the tracking and eventual elimination of all his past links, my men found her, and brought her to me. I would have disposed of her right away, until I noticed that she could be used to control her older brother. So, she became a tool to me…until it became clear that she was becoming a liability. The Failure would never become what I wanted if he knew he had a sister to save…or avenge. So I wiped her memory, and left her at an orphanage. Then I went about the arduous task of rewriting the Failure's memory so he would think he only had two sisters, and they were both dead. His near-adolescence made it far more difficult then his sister, but eventually I succeeded…or so I thought. But even IF I hadn't succeeded in eliminating the memories, I thought I had surely buried them so deep that NOTHING could have released them…what could have done this? He was eventually part of a team that included his sister and he didn't appear to even have an inkling for so long! How could…"Vagane rambled. Spike looked at the crippled scientist. Vagane's words had ceased to be an explanation and become an obsessed ramble over a small error in his past a while back. Spike found it amusing.

However, it did not take Vagane long to get his composure.

"But no matter. Recalled memories or not, Christine has been well taught by her husband, brother, and friends. She wields a bladed staff known as the Soulstorm, is very skilled in Aikido and knowledgeable in various other martial arts to varying degrees, and also has a healing talent, abet not as strong as Diana's. She may look like an angel, but believe me, underestimate her and she'll quickly turn into a demon. And it would be one you wouldn't have been able to hit without getting a crippling migraine."

"Don't remind me." Spike said, rubbing his forehead slightly and feeling glad the chip in his brain was gone.

"And finally…" Vagane said, as he tapped his keys once more, and Christine was replaced with Ash.

"Ash Merseric, aka Bloodfire, the leader of this whole group of JLA rejects." Vagane snickered. "He's the best amalgam of talents in the Legacy, besides the Failure. His swordmanship may not be as skilled as his father's, or his martial arts as his sister, but he's honed them constantly and with dedication, and his skill in battle shows it. It was those skills, and his power, that somehow allowed him to destroy Xaxargas. His sword, the Soulfire, is sentient as well…"

"Sentient? Look mate, I don't carry around a dictionary…"

"It's alive. It thinks, talks, and makes bad jokes, the last one a lot more then the first one. Even so, it is a truly deadly weapon, unbreakable and linked with Ash to make his skills even greater. He's the cog that keeps the whole group together."

"Oh, so lemme guess, you want me to take him out?"

"No."

"No? So which one of this blokes do you want me to kill?"

"None of them."

There was silence.

"Look mate, I've been very patient, listening to you talk about all these people, and now you're telling me you don't want to kill ANY OF THEM!?!" Spike roared. Vagane had turned his hoverchair around, and as he looked at the angry vampire, his eyebrow raised a bit.

"Ah Spike. I was not finished. I was simply informing you on the people who might try and intefere with your mission. But I was just about to get to the one I want you to take care of."

Spike calmed down a bit.

"Who?"

Vagane turned back and pressed a lone key. Ash vanished and a new girl appeared.

"Her."

Celeste was enjoying the quiet time. She had sat for the past several hours in perfect silence, performing the techniques that Erik had taught her. Her eyes were usually closed, although occasionally she opened them to take in the dimly lit room. She wondered what Erik was doing. She still didn't feel comfortable going out there, among all those people she barely knew or didn't know at all.

It didn't make her feel safe. She sighed and closed her eyes. She stretched her shoulders and neck, then opened her eyes again.

And found herself staring into a large, fat, pink face, with a strange extension at the top of its otherwise bald head, and a big smile on it.

"HI!"

"EEEEYYYYYAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" Celeste screamed, the fact that her privacy had been invaded automatically throwing switches in her head, switches built up during the course of her life. She was on her feet in a second, rolling backwards and flipping even as she yanked her twin daggers out and got ready to cut. As her feet hit the ground, she automatically hit a battle stance, even as her mind took in her opponent.

"Hey wait! Don't be afraid! I won't hurt you." The being said. It looked male, but Celeste couldn't be sure. It was a truly strange looking creature. It was short and immensely obese, with a skin that had a much stronger pink tint to it then beige. The being wore a strange costume that consisted of a tight black vest, baggy shorts that gave the impressive of a big diaper, yellow gloves and boots, and a big gold belt with a stylized M on it. It was topped off with a small purple cape. Along with the outfit, the creature had a strange pink appendage coming out of the top of its head, almost like a small tentacle.

Celeste took this all in, breathing heavily from shock, her daggers still poised and ready.

"It's ok! Hi! I'm Mr. Buu! But you can call me…Mr. Buu! Or just Buu if you want." Buu said, smiling widely again, as he tried to approach Celeste, and was surprised when Celeste backed away.

"What…what are you?" Celeste said, still keeping her daggers poised.

"I'm Mr. Satan's friend! Gohan brought me in to help you with some bad trouble! Who are you?" Buu said.

Celeste continued to stare, then slowly lowered her daggers. If Gohan had brought him in, he probably wasn't bad.

"C…C-Celeste." Celeste said with some trepidation. Then, to her great shock and surprise, Buu reached out and grabbed her hand. Celeste almost slit his throat before she realized he was shaking it in the familiar gesture of friendship.

"Pleased to meet you!" Buu said, shaking her hand vigorously and smiling broadly the whole time. Celeste blinked, then shook back, sliding her daggers back into her inner forearm sheaths.

"What…what are you doing here?" Celeste asked.

"Well, I was walking along, and I saw you, and I thought I would try and make you my friend! You wanna be my friend?" Buu said.

Celeste was surprised. Despite his strange look, Buu was being earnest. He was really trying to be friendly. Celeste had never experienced anything quite like it.

"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue? Lemme see!" Buu said, reaching out his hands. Celeste recoiled again, her back slamming against the wall. Buu stopped, cocking his head.

"What's wrong? Are you ok? I was just kidding." Buu said. Celeste blinked. _I don't believe this. This creature may be strange, but I think he really wants to be friends…he's just being nice. And I'm acting like he's trying to…_

"I'm ok…Buu, wasn't it?" Celeste said, smiling slightly and sheepishly. "I'm just tense."

"Tense? You're a tense? You look like a girl to me." Buu said, cocking his head again. "You're pretty."

Celeste blushed slightly.

"Not really."

"No, you are! So, what were you doing?" Buu said, switching subjects with such ease it almost made Celeste laugh. She hadn't done that in a while.

"Um…meditating."

"Cool! How do you do it?" Buu asked. Celeste finally felt herself relax.

"Well you sit…and you think about stuff…it's supposed to…"

"Boring!" Buu said, making a face. But it was done in such a way that Celeste didn't take offense. Instead, she almost laughed again.

"No it's not…really…"

"I'd rather play video games! Well, I'm sure Mr. Satan is looking for me, so I gotta go! Nice meeting you Celeste! You're cool!" Buu said, and then he turned and bounced out of the room.

Celeste stared after the creature.

__

What just happened? Did I just make a friend?……He was so…different. He didn't leer at me, or look at me like I was garbage, or like I was something to be pitied or feared…he honestly wanted to be nice to me, and get to know me…has anyone ever treated me that way…?

Her thoughts and emotions continuing to run high as she tried to figure it out, her eyes slowly sliding shut as she returned to her meditation.

"Celeste Pearl, aka Retribution. The Failure's pupil, student, and perhaps his only friend. I want you to kill her."

Spike stared at the rotating image of the woman he had seen for a short time. He smirked.

"Her? But she's not even part of the Legacy. Why her?"

"Because the Failure cares for her. The boy thinks he's responsible for what happened to her and that he has to protect her. And that is why she must die. The Failure must suffer, and suffer greatly. I could have descrated his family's graves, or gone after Christine…but her…the loss of her will affect him on a far deeper level. In other words, it will break him, and I want that more then anything. More then godhood. More then a new era of creation. He must be destroyed…and this will be far more saitisfying to me then anything I could do to him. Tell me Spike, will you help me in this?"

Spike smirked.

"Kill her in any way?"

"Any way you please. Just do not sire her. I want her dead. And preferably in many pieces. However, it won't be easy…"

"Why did I know that was the next thing that was going to come out of your mouth?" Spike groaned.

"It is true. Due to circumstances, which I doubt you want to hear, Celeste possess every single talent I spent years developing in the Failure, and the talents he developed on his own afterward. In other words, she's a walking weapon. As mentioned, her daggers are supposed to be composed of her own anger and rage, and while she knows how to use just about any weapon, her skill with them is unmatched. Her mindset is the same as the Failure's: save the "good" and kill the "bad". Who would have thought that…" Vagane said, the last sentence aimed at himself. Pressing a few keys, Celeste vanished, and Vagane turned around.

"Celeste is a solitary girl. She does not trust people she does not know. Hence, she will either be with the Failure, or she will be alone. And seeing how the Failure is most likely busy filling in all his friends about me, she will most likely be alone. My request, and your task, Spike, is for you to sneak into the Capsole Corperation, and kill her. For in the end, despite all her talents, despite all the Failure has taught her…she is only human. The flaws of her species run especially deep in her. You are beyond those flaws, and thus beyond her Spike. I trust you will live up to your reputation and ensure that she stops breathing."

Spike smirked.

"That is something I can do…except for one thing. This Capsole Corperation…is that where all her friends are, along with all those other warriors of this world?"

"Yes."

Spike licked his lip slightly.

"Um mate…I know I asked for something to do and all…but with all those people there…just how am I going to get into this place without being noticed? I may be "at one with the shadows" as you put it…but I'm not invisible."

Vagane smiled slightly.

"I know Spike. That is why I'm going to help you." Vagane said, and pressed a key on his hoverchair control panel. Near his shoulder, a small extension slid out and positioned itself by Vagane's head.

"Ally, bring them in."

A few seconds later, the door slid open noiselessly and one of the Valkyries walked in with a metal box. She handed it to Vagane, keeping her head down the whole time, and left the same way she had come. Spike's eyebrows arched.

"Um mate, there isn't any more of that cow urine in there, is there? Cause I am damn sure not being turned into Mr. Leapo Leapo Leapo's brother. I like the way I am."

"Of course Spike. Do not worry, this is not a mutogentic virus. It is merely some equipment that will help you get in…and to help you deal with Celeste. She may be human, but she can also throw energy blasts, something I don't recall you have the ability to do."

"It's one of my New Year's resolutions. What is that?"

"First, the MRR set to the proper cordinates." Vagane sat, taking a small metallic device out of the box. "It will set you down in the suburbs near the Capsole Corperation. There are several ways into the building, I'm sure you'll find a way. It's nearly nightfall, so you won't have to worry about the sun…"

"But mate, there's still the problem…"

"I was getting to that. Have you forgetten about this?" Vagane said, taking another small device out of the box and handing it to Spike. "This is a modified cloaking device, similar to the one you used to steal the Senzu Beans. However, it's somewhat weaker then your previous one. It will keep you cloaked…but if any part of your body above your knees touches anything, even a brush, the device will cease to function, and you'll reappear. The device _will_ be able to reactivate itself, but it will take about a minute."

"Then why don't you just give me the old one?" Spike said, trying to hand the device back, but Vagane made a motion that he didn't want it back, and Spike, with a tad of exhasperation, put it in his jacket pocket.

"Because this one is also the power source for your…special equipment." Vagane said, as he pulled out what appeared to be gloves. "Try these on."

Blinking, Spike reached out and took the gloves. They looked similar to the black _Mechanix_ style gloves that were sold at racetracks, down to the black colour.

"What's this, your attempt at a makeover?" Spike said, as he put them on.

"Not exactly. Those gloves aren't just made of cloth, they're composed of an incredibly advanced wiring system that taps directly into your nervous system and adrenal glands. The end result is, it quintiples your strength, and also protects your hand from severe damage."

Spike stared for a second, and then he began to laugh.

"Come on! You can't be serious!"

"Oh I am. Don't believe me? Punch the wall."

Spike scoffed.

"Well if you can put Big and Ugly's hand back on I'm sure you can…" Spike said as he reared back his hand in a half hearted punch and slammed it into the nearest wall.

Then his jaw dropped as he felt the metal contort inward from the force of his blow, and slowly drew back his fist while staring at the dent he had made.

"I don't bloody believe it. It works." Spike said in amazement, and let loose with several more blows against the steel, leaving more fist size dents in the wall. "And it doesn't hurt at all. I can feel the impact, but no pain! I love these gloves!"

"Was there ever any doubt?" Vagane said, as he took out some more clothing. This time, it was boots.

"These boots will perform a similar task as the gloves, but to a lesser degree. However, while they don't increase your strength as much as the gloves, they link to your body in a similar way and allow you to jump higher."

Spike arched an eyebrow.

"Jump higher? How high?"

"Let's just say I wouldn't recommend you test them in here, or you could give yourself a bad headache." Vagane replied. Spike glanced up at the ceiling, which was at least twenty feet away from his head. Smirking, he took the boots and began putting them on.

"Also, the heel of the boots contains a section for you to put the cloaking device slash power supply, so you don't accidentally lose it, in battle or some way." Vagane said. Spike was still putting on the boots, but he managed to take the small machine out, find the section, and snap it in.

"And finally, something I forged especially for you." Vagane said, and took a large sword out of the box. Spike whistled again as he took the sword, a good three-foot blade, curved slightly and with jagged points running along the whole edge. 

"It's not daggers made of rage or a sentient weapon, but it is forged with reinforced titanium and laced with steel alloy, and as one final bonus, the hilt contains a computer chip that's linked to your gloves. Should you lose the sword, just hold out your hand and it will return, even if it has to go through something in the process…barring that it's a brick wall or the equivalent."

Spike looked over his new weapon, admiring the craftmanship. It was modern but also had a decidingly old age brutality in its look and make, and it fit his hand perfectly.

"Do you need anything else Spike?"

"No mate, I'm fine." Spike said, wondering that if the godhood part of Vagane's plan didn't pan out, if he could swipe the stuff he was wearing.

"I am glad." Vagane said. There was a sudden buzzing in his wheelchair, and Vagane took his eyes away from Spike as he pressed a button and the mike extension slid back into place near him, with a new part placing itself near his ear.

"I see…good…" Vagane said, and the extension retracted itself back into his hoverchair. "Night has fallen. Do you need any time to prepare Spike, or…"

"No way. I've sat hear and listen to you yak long enough. I want some action." _And it'll be a good warm up for when I finally rip the Slayer's bloody heart out._

Vagane smiled.

"I am thankful that you would do this for me, Spike. Here is the MRR. I trust you remember how to use it."

"I can remember how to push a button. Hey mate, you want a trophy?" Spike said, taking the device from Vagane's hand. Vagane's eyes appeared thoughtful.

"Sure Spike. Bring me back a finger."

"Will do." Spike said, and pressed the button. There was a flash of light and a crackling noise, and then Spike was gone.

The instant Spike had vanished, so did Vagane's look of friendship, replaced with a look of contempt and disgust.

"Egotistical jackass, isn't he?" came a mechanical, dry voice from the shadows of the room, and then Adam strode out from the shadows, where he had been watching for some time.

"I am beginning to see it that way, Adam. But he makes a useful tool, wouldn't you say?"

"Tools are only useful if they get the job done. Do you really think that foolish vampire actually has the skills to assassinate that woman?" Adam said, as he slowly walked to Vagane's side.

"Even with my tools…there is still quite a gap to overcome, indeed. But this isn't about her in the end. It's the Failure…he must be broken. And Spike's attempt will start the push. But…just in case…" Vagane said, looking up at the monster hybrid. "I have a request for you as well, Adam."

Brigh was in a good mood. At first, his card game was a bust, with him constantly being on the end of bad hands and the tense atmosphere not helping any either. Eventually, the game had fallen apart, and his friends had gone elsewhere.

Brigh had quickly realized that a bad card game was better then no card game, because without anything to distract him, his thoughts quickly began to nosedive into the situation at hand, or more specifically, how bad the situation at hand was. Brigh had done some work, but he had to admit that although he had helped in the defeat of Xaxargas, his participation had been minimal at best. He was far more comfortable being a thief then a hero.

And with that in mind, he had swiftly set up shop again. Deciding to try it in a place where more people might pass by, Brigh had yanked the table out into the hallway and dragged it to the largest 90-degree corner turn hallway he could find. The hallways in Capsole Corp were surprisingly wide and spacious, which was a small relief to Brigh. Once he had set up, it was simply a matter of asking passing people to play.

And not surprisingly, many people wanted to take their minds off their troubles as much as Brigh didn't want to think of his. And so it had been for a while, the group swelling and shrinking, but the mood always remaining boisterous as recovering Z fighters and Legacy members got to know each other.

But Brigh wasn't stupid, he could sense it was coming to a close again. But that was no matter. Erik had swept by for a second and told Brigh and the others sitting at the table at the moment that there would be a meeting soon. Since then, the flow of people passing by and joining the game had dried up.

Brigh glanced over his cards at the people playing, which consisted of Victoria and Rod again, along with the black haired warrior known as Seventeen, the scarred warrior Yamcha, the midget Krillian and his wife Eighteen, and most surprisingly of all, the woman who owned Capsole Corp, Bulma Briefs, and the daughter of one of the women who had been kidnapped, Pan. Brigh could see that Pan was under stress, but it hadn't made him show any mercy in the game. The young hybrid had surprisingly turned out to have a knack for poker, and now owned some money that Brigh desperately wanted back. Pan, on the other hand, was too busy talking with Victoria and Rod to care. Eventually, Brigh had given up and tried to win the money off of Bulma. If what he had heard was true, she had plenty to burn.

"So you can turn into a dragon? Cool!" Pan said to Victoria.

"You find that cool? I thought you saw dragons all the time or something." Victoria replied.

"I see your 50 and raise you to 100." Eighteen said to her brother as the rest of them played poker.

"I see your hundred and raise you to 150." Yamcha added, and so on it went.

"So how does your power work? Is it like ours?" Pan asked Rod. Rod had been around a while, and he knew how to answer questions like Pan's. Specifically, how to keep her mind off of other things.

"Well, it's somewhat similar to yours. Yours is called ki, right?"

"Yeah."

"I raise to 250." Bulma said.

"I fold." Seventeen said in disgust.

"Well, ours doesn't have a name. However, it works in similar ways. If you train, it lets you get more powerful, but in a different way from you. You have much higher power then us, but you can run out of energy. We never run out of power, but there are downsides. One, as mentioned, its weaker then yours. Two, while we can't actually run OUT of power, as we continue to use it, it begins to affect us."

"How so?" Pan asked.

Brigh wondered if he could win this hand with three tens.

"Well, as we use our power, whether to heal, or to attack, or for some other purpose, like Brigh's ability to teleport through shadows, it flows through us. Eventually that flow begins to wear on our bodies. At first, it's basically like physical fatigue…but if you continue to use it, the side effects become more dangerous. It can literally start breaking down our cells. If one of us decides to ignore the danger levels and keep using power, especially for our stronger abilities, we could eventually cause ourselves to have a massive cerebral haemorrhage, which would most likely be fatal."

"Oh no." Pan said.

"Oh don't worry. It sounds a lot worse then it is. We've all trained in our abilities, and for the most part, my allies, and children, are young and strong. I'm getting on in years, but I still can keep up with them. Even if we severely push ourselves, we know the danger signs, and rest allows us to "recharge", if you may. Only an idiot would keep going when they know they could kill themselves."

"Three tens!" Brigh crowed, throwing down his hand.

"Full house." Bulma said, flipping down her hand.

"AW GODDAMIT!" Brigh cursed as Bulma collected her winnings. "Hey lady, don't you have enough money already?"

"No, and if you have a problem, you can take it up with my husband." Bulma smirked.

"Why, I believe I will!" Brigh said, although he did so in an overly dramatic tone. He also stood up in a very dramatic way.

"Believe me, you don't want to." Erik's voice suddenly said as he seemingly materilized out of nowhere and shoved Brigh back down into his seat gently but firmly.

"OW! Watch it Erik! That's the hand I win money with!" Brigh whined, rubbing his shoulder.

"Oh really? Then maybe you should switch hands." Erik muttered.

"Was it me, or did Erik just make a joke?" Yamcha said.

"It was you, Yamcha. Now guys…"

Then Erik suddenly paused, as one eyebrow suddenly arched up, as he turned his head slightly.

"Erik? What's wrong?" Bulma said, her eyes suddenly filling with worry.

"Nothing…I just thought I suddenly heard…yelling…it's rather faint…Victoria, can you hear it?"

Victoria stood up, cocking her head.

"I think…but it's so faint…these walls are very good at muffling sound…but I think it sounds like argueing…"

Erik cocked his head a bit more, then turned around so he was facing one end of the hallway, which led off into several doors.

"Bulma, what part of Capsole Corp is this?"

"Um…guess bedrooms I think…for important guests and overworked scientists and such…" Bulma replied. Erik's eyes suddenly lit up in realization.

"UH oh."

Then Erik turned around.

"Ok guys, we have to go."

"What? But Erik…"

"No buts Brigh! We men have to go, and go now!"

"But Erik, what's going-YERGH!" Krillian said as Erik again gently but firmly got Krillian out of his chair.

"I'll explain on the way. But we have to go. Now now now now now!"

And as the females watched in interest, confusion, and with a tad of a perturbed nature, Erik literally shoved all the males down the other hallway and out the door into the room beyond.

"What the heck was that about?" Eighteen said, getting up from her chair slowly. Victoria sighed.

"Girls, brace yourself."

Pan looked at Victoria.

"What?"  
(Warning: This next scene may offend some people. Read with caution)

Then the quiet hallway was suddenly filled with one loud noise as one of the doors in the other hallway suddenly slammed open so hard and fast it nearly broke off its hinges. All the females who were still sitting jumped to their feet, Eighteen and Pan immediately taking battle positions. 

And saw one of the strangest things they had ever seen as they laid eyes on the man who had come out the door. 

Or more precisely, been thrown out the door, for the way his body was sprawled on the ground was quite evident he hadn't come out in a way that was controlled. He had a mop of thick, greasy looking black hair and a thin straggle of a mustache and beard of the same hair. One of his eyes, a dull brown, was swollen and beginning to blacken, which futher deprived from his unremarkable face. He was a large man, definitely over six feet, and while he was a tad flabby with less then perfect skin, there was still some evidence of muscles. In face and body, the man looked like a typical everyman that you would pass on the street every day.

Oddly, the lone thing that made him stand out to the women, not including the fact that he had just been thrown through a nearby door, was the last thing they noticed about him: he was naked.

Well, almost. It was clear that when he'd been tossed out the door that he'd either been in the act of dressing or undressing, as he still had socks on and what appeared to be a pair of boxer shorts around his ankles. Fortunately, he'd landed at an angle so all the women, standing stunned at the end of the hall, could see was a full moon.

Eighteen was rather unaffected, more curious on why the man was here rather then the fact that he was naked. Bulma blushed slightly, and Victoria looked a tad uncomfortable, but they also took it in stride. Pan however, turned bright pink and appeared to be ready to head to the man and offer him some cover, even as the man began to get to his feet. 

"What the hell…?" Bulma began, but Victoria cut her off with one word.

"Chastity."

And if on cue, a woman's voice came out of the door, aimed towards the man as he tried to get up with the boxers tangled around his ankles. He appeared not to notice the women at the end of the hall, and even if he had, the look on his face indicated he probably wouldn't have cared much. He looked angry. Very angry. And the anger was projected solely in the direction of the woman's voice.

"Asshole."

And then Chastity walked out of the door, and the women, save Victoria, finally understood why Erik had hurried the men out. Save for her spiked heels and lacy see-through stockings on her legs, Chastity was also wearing nothing.

"Get the hell out, and don't come back." Chastity said to the man, who had finally managed to untangle his legs enough to stand. Now the women could see everything, and Pan turned away in embarressment.

But the man didn't take Chastity's advice. Indeed, it looked like doing that was the last thing he planned to do.

"Fucking BITCH!" he snarled, and threw a punch at Chastity.

Eighteen started to move forward, but she'd only made it a step when Chastity snapped out her arm, intercepting the swinging blow. Although the man had at least 4 inches and 50 pounds on the woman, his blow was still blocked dead.

Then Chastity followed up with one of her own, bringing up her other arm and slamming her fist into the man's unblemished eye. The man yelled and staggered, and then Chastity lifted up her knee and slammed it into the man's stomach, even as she brought her hand back and then swung it, backhanding the man. The man's legs twisted around his lowered boxers as he staggered back and fell on his bare rear with a slight smacking sound. Before he could do anything, Chastity snapped out her right leg and smashed him across the jaw and he fell onto his side.

"You men." Chastity said with disgust, and lowered her right leg only to bring it up again.

Then she brought her foot down, and the man screamed in agony. Victoria smirked slightly, Bulma winced, and Pan, drawn by the noise, looked again. Her blush grew even deeper, and she turned away again, although she began peeking through her fingers. Eighteen stopped, and crossed her arms with amusement. It was clear Chastity needed no help.

Apparently, Chastity had decided to object to something when the man's mindset was still at "full speed ahead", and even the fight hadn't calmed him down fully in a certain way, as it was clear to Eighteen that he was still "half-cocked" to put it. However, this had proven to be a very bad thing for him, because it had given Chastity a target for the toe of her shoe, which she now had firmly on the man's pride and joy. While she was only pushing down hard enough to hold the man in place, it was quite apparent it was still immensely painful for him.

"You men." Chastity repeated in the same digusted tone. "You're all alike. You think that organ between your legs is some kind of weapon, something that makes you the leader, automatically supreme. And you think you can use it like you're a conquerer. But it's not a weapon, little boy. It's a small extension of spongy tissue, and it does NOT give you the right to try and make me another conquest. A fuck maybe, but not a conquest. But you men never think of that. It's just your needs, your desires. I tried to ignore it for my sake, but I have my limits. But you men never take the word no as an answer. You just think we're playing with you. Well, does this feel like playing, boy?"

With that, Chastity twisted her foot and ground the toe in, and the man screamed again.

"You're not a conquerer. You're nothing. But you allow yourself to be deluded into thinking you're something, because you and all your kind have bred women to think she can't do anything against it. But I'd say they're wrong, wouldn't you?"

The man could only moan in pain.

"ANSWER ME!" Chastity yelled, grinding her toe in even deeper.

"AH! YES! YES!"

"That's better. Now take it to heart, buddy. When you do, maybe you'll be a real man. Until then, you're just a fuck. Hell, you're not even a fuck. And the fact is that sooner or later, every single woman on this planet is going to realize it. Maybe not in my lifetime, but eventually. No matter how hard you bastards try to hold us down…because in the end, you're the ones who crumple so easily."

And with that, Chastity released her toe. As the man groaned and gripped his immensely sore area as he tried to sit up. The second he did, however, a pair of dirty, tore jeans was thrown in his face, as Chastity walked out again.

"Call this an act of kindness. Now get dressed and get out of my sight."

Despite his pain, the man finally managed to pull up his boxers and began to put on his jeans. Victoria was shaking her head in a way that said "I've heard this song before, but it never ceases to be amusing." Pan removed the fingers from her eyes now that the man was covered.

"What was all that about?" Pan asked.

"That's what Chastity's like. People can call her whatever they want, and she may act like it at times, but the fact is, she does have standards. Apparently, this guy decided not to pick up on her hints, or her warnings. And you do not try and force your will on her in those situations. She does not like it. Not at all."

"But wasn't that just a tad brutal?"

"No." Victoria and Eighteen said at the same time, and then they looked at each other with amused eyes.

The still unnamed man had finally managed to get his jeans on, and was buckling the belt. Chastity watched with cold eyes, still in her state of near nakedness. 

"Door's that way." She said coldly, and then turned to go back into the room.

And that's when the man reached into his pocket. Victora heard a slight snapping sound and then saw a glint as light flashed off metal.

A switchblade.

"BITCH!" the man screamed, as he flipped the blade over and lunged at Chastity, even as the woman began to turn around again.

Again, Eighteen started towards the man.

The knife plunged.

And Chastity, almost in slow motion, turned.

And her eyes briefly flashed.

Then there was a sudden _WHOOSH,_ a sizzling sound, the stench of burnt metal and flesh, and another scream of pain as the dagger suddenly lit up in a bright red colour. As the man's fingers flew open to try and get rid of the weapon, the dagger suddenly lost its shape and began to slag, melting into a rain of flying droplets of metal that splashed across the wall and floor with a series of slight sizzles.

In retrospect, the man was lucky the knife hadn't been adhered to his hand during the burning process.

But his hand began the least of his worries as Chastity, her eyes know very angry, reached out with her right hand and grabbed the man via his crotch.

"You never learn. You just can't get it through your thick head. Well, maybe I can get it through your other head." Chastity snarled, getting a firm grip.

And then there was another flash of fire and a new sizzling noise, and the man screamed, even louder then any of his other screams, and broke away from Chastity, holding his wounded area and trying his best to run away while doing so. Somehow, he managed to get the door at the end of the hall open and run off, wailing and crying.

Chastity made a noise of saitisfaction.

"I have really to consider raising my standards…and to think he actually struck me as nice at the bar. I'm losing my touch." Chastity mused aloud to herself.

"What are we going to do with you, Chas?" Victoria said aloud, prompting Chastity to finally notice the grouped women. She turned and smirked with self righteousness. The Z women stood silently, shocked by Chastity's final "parting grace".

"What?" Chastity said. 

"Well…Chastity…um, your clothes…" Bulma tried to say politely.

"What? Oh this? Oh c'mon girls, it's not like I don't have anything you don't have! What, am I turning you on or something?"

"Chastity, don't be so blunt. They don't know you well enough to know not to take offense by it." Victoria said.

"Oh yeah. Sorry." Chastity replied, smiling sheepishly.

"You certainly aren't shy, especially not with men…but even I thought that last thing was a tad brutal, Chastity…" Eighteen said, looking after where the man had fled.

"Oh him?" Chastity said, indicating the way the man had fled with her head. "Don't sweat it, Blondie. I've met a million of them. They're big tough morons who were taught that to be a man, you must consider a woman a "conquest", something you do to prove your "worth on the battlefield". And they make no effort to try and learn that women are their opposite sex, their opposing half, and therefore their equals. They think woman is simply the act of masturbating with a body, a flesh structure to hold the act of sex, and they like it that way. It makes them feel powerful, feel supreme, keeps their inner insecurities from crushing them. I can ignore that to a degree…but I do not tolerate disrespect, and I certainly don't tolerate my will being denied. But the man was too busy trying to be "a man" to notice or care. Huh, if he was a real man he would have backed off. But he didn't. The rest was simply self-defense, with the added bonus of sending him a message. But even with the burns I gave him, I doubt he'll get it. They rarely do."

"But Chastity…"

"Relax Blondie…"

"Eighteen."

"Eighteen then. The flash of fire was just to get through his pants. I gave him first degree burns down there at the most. The most painful, but the least damaging. And don't you tell me he didn't deserve it."

Victoria chuckled. Pan stared at Chastity. She had never quite met anyone like her before.

"But Chastity…surely you don't think all men are like that…" Bulma said.

"What? Oh no, Blue. I'm not stupid. I've met lots of nice guys too, men who have some understanding or at least try to understand. I don't think all men are scum. I just think way too many like being scum. There are many great men I know, men who would, well, get their money's worth, know what I mean? Of course, they always seem to be married or unavailable…" Chastity said, muttering the last sentence to herself. "Some men try. They're as much a mystery to me as women are to them."

"Oh really?"

"Yep."

"Oh. Good." _Then you aren't some radical femanist. That had me worried._

Victoria was still looking amused, and she also looked like she was just about to say something when the door at the other end of the hallway opened. The women looked at the door, not expecting a familiar short, grey haired and bearded man with fancy sunglasses, wearing an orange shirt and blue pants to come through the door.

Bulma's eyebrows raised.

"Roshi?"

"Hey Bulma. Been a while. Gohan brought me in as a consultant, seeing how besides you, I've known Goku longer then anyone. I may not be able to fight, but I would like to help, seeing how all I go do in the previous mess was sit and watch the TV in horror."

"I think you lucked out there." Eighteen replied. Chastity cocked her head, curious at the conversation.

"Maybe…but I don't think so." Roshi said, and turned to leave. Bulma looked relieved.

Then Roshi turned around again and started walking towards the group.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot! The meeting's going to start in the main board room, you know, the one with that giant computer…"Roshi was saying as he came to the 90-degree part of the corridor. "IYAAAH!"

BLORSH!

"Huh. I'm flattered." Chastity said, looking at Master Roshi's unconscious form.

"Don't be. He's like that for any woman, the old hentai. So Chastity, are you going to put some clothes on, or just go to the meeting like that?" Bulma asked.

"I'll put clothes on. I don't mind being seen naked, but that doesn't mean I think I should walk around like that." Chastity said, loking at the large blood splatter on the wall. "I hope this wall is scotchguarded."

"Hey Chastity, what about that guy?" Pan said.

"The prick? Eh, he can find his own way out. I'm sure after all I did to him, nothing else could happen."

Spike dropped the man's body on the ground, licking the blood off his lips.

"Tasty. Thanks mate. By the way, I like your fashion sense." Spike said, looking at the man's destroyed pants. Looking at the building the man had just run out of, he smirked.

"Capsole Corp. Finally. Suburbs close to it, my bleedin' ass. Now…how does this device work?"

The entire gravity of the situation hit Spike just as he was finishing his sentence. Vagane had never told him how to turn the device on.

"Bloody hell!" Spike cursed, lifting up his boot and balacing on one leg so he could remove the section of boot that hid the device so he could take it out and see if it had a button.

But the clasp wouldn't budge. Spike's attempts to yank it open unbalanced him, and he began hopping on one foot to try and maintain his balance.

He failed and spawled backwards, landing on some soft grass.

"Fuck, this day couldn't get any worse." Spike cursed, standing up again. "Now how am I going to get in? I'm sure as hell not walking in the front door."

Spike stood back and too in the situation. The man, obviously in extreme pain, had run out the front door of the building, across a grassy circle that was surrounded by road that split off to the parking lot and circled in front of the door. From there, the man had run down the road that led to the road that led off to other roads.

Spike's head began to hurt thinking about it.

He could go and see if the building had any other doors, but with his cloaking device not working, there would still be the problem of being seen. What he needed was a way to get deep into the building…but where could he find a path like that?

Thinking, Spike began to circle the large structure in a wide arc, looking around.

It was a few minutes before he spotted the other, small structure off in the distance. Spike walked over to it.

"Water maintenance…" Spike said out loud, smirking. Perfect.

Heading towards the building, Spike walked around it looking for a door, and was a tad surprised when he found the man in the boiler suit. Apparently he was working late.

"Hey mate, which way is Capsole Corp?"

"What, it's that way, why-ARRRGGGHHHHHHH!" the workman screamed as he tried to stand up and turn around, only to grabbed by Spike as he sank his fangs into his neck. Spike drained him and tossed the body aside, amused that it flew forty feet. 

"Thanks mate. I was still feeling a bit peckish." Spike quipped, shifting back out of his gameface. He glanced in the direction the man had pointed, then entered the small maintenance building.

It was as he expected. A maze of pipes, a branched off room with an extremely tiny office…

…and a manhole.

"This should do it. I hope it's rained recently." Spike said, hoisting off the cover. A second later he had disappeared inside.

Vagane was watching the readings and was pleased. The Messiah Project was ahead of schedule, for the moment. He continued to tap keps until he heard a door open.

"Vagane." Said a female voice. A slight smile tugged at Vagane's mouth, and he turned.

"Alexia. What can I do for you?"  
The frail blonde crossed the room over to Vagane, somehow managing to keep her regal air even in the situation she was in.

"I am…confused."

"Confused. About what, my dear?"

"Why do you have such a liking for me? I am not a fool. I can see it."

Vagane smirked.

"Ah, lovely Alexia. My favorism is nothing bad. I just admire you, more then any of the others. We are all more then human…but you…you have risen above in a way that I find immensely admirable. Spike, for all his abilities, is merely a demon in a human body. Tormentor too, to a degree. Adam may possess god-like power, but he is a puzzle made of many pieces. None really chose to become what they did, it just happened. But you…you wanted to raise yourself above the weakness and pathetic nature of the human species. And what you did to do it, was done at immense risk of your life and mind. But you succeeded. You took command of a power that drove your father completely mad, and you did it in a way that cost you nothing but your humanity. Even I did not become what I was in an instant, it took me time. That is why I admire you Alexia. Of all my allies, you are most like me."

"I see. But I have another question Vagane."

"Ask away."

"Why do you toy with the Failure if you loathe him so? Son Goku is waiting with baited breath to engage in more combat. The Failure could never stand before him. Why not send Goku to annihalate the Failure, instead of playing mind games with him. After all, despite his betrayal, he was your greatest work…"

"My second greatest, Alexia. The first…is what is behind me…and perhaps…what happened that night and what it led to. But I can see where you are going. I made the Failure what he is, and that makes him dangerous."

"Yes. So why not just kill him?"

"My dear Alexia, I do not wish to kill him."

Alexia was stunned slightly.

"What?"

"I have said I merely wish to break him. His death is not what I desire."

"But why?"

Vagane smiled harshly.

"The Failure was supposed to be my right arm, the physical representation of my will and how things should be done. Instead, he became a blasphemy. The weak are to be devoured by the strong! That is the way life works! The weak are not supposed to be protected, especially not by a force that kills the strong as well! That is why the Failure must be…broken. But not destroyed, Alexia. For you see, there is hope still. The Failure is but a shell, a cover, of something I sensed even when I first began to work on him. Destroy that shell…and destroy the Failure…and in the process, accomplish something even greater then the dream of what I had for the Failure when I was working on him."

"Are you sure?"

"Deathly sure, Alexia…and that is why the Failure must be…crushed!"

Erik wasn't feeling much better, even as he looked apon the group before him.

Eveyone was finally up and about, their strength restored by their resting. All the Z Fighters were there, along with all their significant others and friends. Erik looked sadly apon the loved ones of Videl and Marron. He could see their fear, their worry. He bit back a snarl.

Along with the Z warriors, all the Legacy was there as well. The past hour had been one long series of introductions as the two teams got to know each other.

The only one missing was Celeste. Erik couldn't blame her, he knew how she felt about crowds more then anyone. He could fill her in later.

But for now, all the greetings were done. It was time to move on.

"Bulma, could you activate the program I composed and use it to help me?"

"Sure Erik." Bulma said, getting up from where she was sitting with her family and heading to the chair that stood in front of the keyboard off to the side. The screen that would show the information was behind Erik.

"Ok." Erik said, and found himself flashing back to the earlier meeting where he had found himself speechless. This time, he was anything but.

"Here is what we…or I know. First of all, the Senzu beans are gone. We have searched every house that had them, and we have been unable to find them. To make it even worse, Karin Tower, and Karin himself…have been destroyed. We have cut off from Senzu Beans entirely."

A murmur went through the crowd.

"To make it even worse…the Dragon Balls are also gone. Attempts to find Dende have also met with failure. Piccolo contacted his people on his planet, and has learned that the elder Namek there and their Dragon Balls are also missing. If this is all true, it means we have also lost the Dragon Balls."

The murmur increased.

"Now, you have met the Legacy. About five days ago, we received a package, to put it one way. The package contained a detailed set of instructions for how to build a Gateway, a machine that creates rips between dimensions like the one that brought me here originally. It also contained a great deal of information, specifically for me, about a man I thought I had destroyed. I believe I mentioned him the last time I was here, but I will bring it up again and elaborate. Bulma?"

Bulma entered a set of commands, and suddenly the image of the man they had seen at Satan City appeared.

"Dr. Thanatos Vagane. The man who made me into a cyborg. I thought I had killed him back when I escaped twelve years ago. I was wrong. I managed to cripple him, cause him to lose the use of his legs, but that has not slowed him down. He is alive…and he is here. Why…I do not know. But it is quite clear he has been planning this for a good long time. He has gathered allies to his cause, and he also apparently did a great deal of observation of this world, and of you. Enough that he knew exactly how to cripple you and any efforts you could make to stop him. The Senzus…the Dragon Balls…Dende…it is typical of him. He knows exactly how to play to win, as was evident with the swiftness that he moved with when he got here. But that changed when he…got Goku."

The room was silent.

"And now that he has Goku…the ball is in his court. He was playing the game quickly before, but he controls the game now. He can play any way he wants. Fast, slow, not at all, and with any kind of rules he wants. But I think you have all realized that. Vagane's arrogance is unmatched by anything, even you Vegeta."

There were some snickers around the room, but a hard glare from Vegeta stopped them.

"Indeed, nothing is more clear of his arrogance of the way he gave you all nightmares before he came here. From what I have gathered, it was an immensely small device that projected images right into your brain that caused those nightmares. How those images played on your deepest fears and, how shall we say, "sins" is evidence to the degree of how much observation of you he performed. It also shows another thing: his genius."

Erik paused.

"Vagane's mind is almost beyond comprehension. He combines the speed of a computer with the ingenuity of a human. Vagane can built virtually anything, understand and create anything, and if he can't, he'll figure out a way to do it. But just like his genius is unparalled, so is his madness. I don't know why he wanted Marron and Videl…but whatever it is, I will be blunt. It is most likely bad. Very very bad."

There was a slight snuffling noise, and Erik realized that Pan had begun to cry. _Nice going Ravensky. You drove her to tears…but there was really no other way around it. Vagane's a lunatic with delusions beyond belief. I'm proof of that._

"But I swear, I will get them back. Vagane may hold all the cards now, but that won't stop me. He can muster all the forces in hell and throw them at me, but I will not fall until I have your loved ones back. Alive. I swear."

Erik's declaration did little to comfort Pan, who was crying on her father's shoulder. Erik sighed.

"But Vagane's not alone. He has four allies, of which I know nothing. All I have managed to glean from witnesses is faint descriptions. I have no idea of their powers, abilities, or plans. But I assume we will find out soon. And then…there are Vagane's women. His Valkyries."

Vagane's image disappeared, to be replaced by pictures of several women, of different sizes, shapes, and colours. But they all had their hair cut in the same way.

"His Valkyries. Vagane's arms and legs now that he's crippled. He stole these girls from their homes as babies and raised them himself. And in the process, he's brainwashed them all beyond salvation. They live only to serve Vagane and carry out his orders. It is impossible to reason with them, talk sense into them, or deviate from their mindset at all. They have no individuality save for names and skills. They are robots in human bodies...and thanks to Vagane's "treatments" and efforts, they're far far stronger then any average human. And they are replacable. Vagane is, if anything, ingenious. But while they might match up to some of you, they would be no challenge to the rest. But Vagane doesn't need the Valkyries to fight now, really…because he has…him."

The Valkyries's images vanished, to be replaced with a face that everyone in the room, at least on the Z side, knew all too well.

"Son…Goku." Erik said, not believing he was saying the words as a preperation for describing an enemy. It just didn't seem possible. Goku had been such a kind-hearted and courageous man.

But then again, Vagane's touch stained all.

"You all know about him…and as for your, my allies…he's the strongest of the strong. I think…he may even top Xaxargas…by a long shot."

Various Legacy members paled, especially Ash, who had been holding his wife's hand for a while and was now holding it a little tighter.

"And he's now in Vagane's service. I don't know how, but Vagane has not just enslaved him, but brainwashed him. Now Goku is thinking…well, like Vagane. And that makes Goku even more dangerous. BUT…there is something a tad bit off."

He had their attention.

"Vegeta…you too can obtain the level of Super Saiya-jin Level 4. Indeed, you obtained it before him. Gohan, you command the miraculous Mystic talent. And the rest of you aren't any slouches either, with your own immense powers. And from what I heard…Goku trashed every one of you."

"Don't remind me." Vegeta growled.

"And that's not right."

Now he definitely had Vegeta's attention.

"Maybe he could trash you all one by one…but all of you teaming up against him? Even at SSJ4…that would simply be too much power, even for him. He should have been pushed, at the very least, to his utter limits. Instead, he barely broke a sweat. Now, this means one of three things."

Erik turned back to the screen, his back to the group.

"One, being turned into Vagane's puppet and aquiring a whole new way of thinking has caused him to unlock some kind of even greater power. This, I doubt. From what I hear, how Goku managed to rise from his humble roots to what he became was because of his good heart. His reason to fight was never wholly about himself, but always for others. If Goku has become a monster that only cares for death…reason dictates that his power should have actually _decreased _in some way. Instead…what happened happened."

"Don't remind me, again." Vegeta growled.

"Two, all of you are slowing down…"

That got him a lot of growls. Erik was unperturbed. He wasn't finished yet.

"However, that is the theory I find least likely. That's not like you guys. That leaves my last theory. Vagane was cheating."

There was a sudden scraping noise as Vegeta suddenly stood up, violently shoving his chair backwards.

"Cheating? You mean that baka…?"

"I don't think it would be beyond him, Vegeta. He had plenty of time to study you, and with his mind…it's definitely possible. I don't how. I'm not even sure if that's the case. But it would explain a lot of things.

Erik expected Vegeta to get angry. Instead, the saiya-jin prince looked rather pleased.

"Good! That means I can still defeat that third class baka! I never should have doubted myself in the first place!"

**__**

Yeah, now you can go back to making that gel that keeps your hair like that!

"SHUT UP YOU STUPID BAKA WEAPON!"

"Ok, that's enough! We don't have time for this!" Erik cursed. "Now…let us say Vagane is cheating, somehow. That still doesn't solve any of our problems. We need to think of a plan. Does anyone have any ideas?"

"Well, first we have to find out where they are." Bulma said.

"I know, that's first on the list. Once we do, though…we need to think of something. Vagane will be expecting a full frontal assault…does anyone else have any ideas?"

There were none.

"Ok then…then we need to think of something. The instant you do, no matter how trivial, tell Bulma or I. The longer we give Vagane, the longer he has to do whatever inhumanities he's commiting. I won't make you sit around here though. If you want to go, you can. Any questions?"

**__**

Yeah! What is the capital of South Dakota?

Erik glared at Ash. Ash, in turn, glared at his weapon.

**__**

Look Ash, if the mood gets any heavier I'm gonna be crushed under it! You must understand my perspective!

"Yeah, but even so Soulfire, now is not the time. Ok everyone, if there's anything else…I'll be in the building."

And with that, Erik turned and walked out the door, deep in thought. For a short while, the Z Warriors and the Legacy sat around the table, not saying anything.

"Well, it could be worse." Trunks finally said. Goten looked at his best friend.

"Worse, Trunks? That's my wife that monster has! How could it be worse?"

"We could be fighting Agony again."

Spike was not having a good time. First of all, the sewers stank, a rank and rotten odor. Secondly, the narrow walkways that extended on each side of the actual canal were so slippery that Spike had nearly fallen in the sewage river twice. Finally, Spike had gotten tired of his forced slow pace, and, having tested the river and finding it not to be deep, he had simply jumped in the gunk and walked in it. While it only came up to his shins, the feeling was still unpleasent, and while his pace had sped up a bit, it hadn't sped up enough to keep him from getting in a foul mood.

The kicker came when he had inspected the tenth set of pipes he had come across and found no Capsole Corp markings. It was as if by going underground he had made the building disappear.

"BLOODY HELL!" Spike yelled, and as his yell echoed down the sewage canal, he reared back and kicked the pipe with the heel of his right foot.

That accomplished two things.

First, the pipe was smashed open, spewing a small stream of some foul liquid into the air and onto the walls.

The second was that Spike disappeared.

"What the…the hell? Was that damn thing on a timer, or does it like pipes?" Spike said. He got an idea, and setting himself, he kicked the pipe again.

He had been right, as he reappeared.

"Huh. I wonder…" Spike said, and stomped the foot down on the ground. Sewage sprayed up from under his foot, but Spike barely noticed. He had disappeared again.

"Alright!" Spike said, elated at figuring out how the device worked. "Who needs old Vag anyway?"

Just to make sure of something, Spike reached out and touched the wall, and was mildly disappointed when he shimmered back into view. Looking down the way he had just came, he shrugged.

"Might as well keep going." Spike said, and moved on.

His luck continued, as five minutes later he finally came to a set of pipes that had the Capsole Corp markings.

"Bout bloody time. First things first." Spike said, grabbing the first pipe he saw and twisting it until it punctured, hoping water was inside.

He lucked out yet again, and using the pipe as a makeshift hose, Spike washed the guck off his pants and boots.

"That's better. Now…" Spike said, looking at the pipes, his eyes following them until they vanished into the wall. Climbing up on the walkway, Spike reared back and punched the stone wall. The material was old and deterioated, and it quickly crumbled underneath Spike's barrage of blows. Spike continued to bash the wall away from the pipes, until they finally started going up. Spike switched directions and began pummeling the ceiling of his small makeshift tunnel. When he couldn't reach any higher up, he began to jump and punch, making his way up.

And then suddenly, his fist punched through something, and as he fell back into the hole, a rain of debris came down on him.

"Argh!" Spike squawked, throwing up his arms to keep the debris from hitting anything delicate. When it stopped falling, Spike reached behind himself and pulled the sword off his back. If anyone was nearby, and they decided to investigate, they were going to get a nasty surprise.

But no one came, and Spike decided to try his luck. Putting his sword back on his back, he looked up, judged the distance, and flexing his legs, leapt upward.

He'd underestimated just how good the boots were, however, because not only did he fly out of the hole, he nearly hit his head on the ceiling. With a yell, Spike managed to thrust his body forward so he wouldn't fall right back into the hole. He landed awkwardly and nearly lost his balance, but he managed to stagger forward, away from the damaged floor. He didn't want to go back into the sewers for any reason.

Brushing himself off, Spike looked around in the bathroom he was in. He glanced back at the hole that was now at one end of the room and smirked, then turned back as he unsheathed his sword. He brought up his foot and stomped it, and watched in amusement as his sword vanished along with him. Keeping it close to him, Spike headed for the door.

"Ok, I'm in…now where's that bitch…"

"And we think this would be a good way of testing other dimensions to see if one can enter them, or more specifically, if anything bad can come through to us…" Bulma said as she walked beside Erik. She had gotten the call from her scientists a few minutes after the meeting had ended, and she felt it would be important.

"I see. That's good Bulma. Keep it up." Erik said, his tone showing he was totally lacking interest. "Have you seen Celeste?"

"Um no…I haven't seen her since you came in…I think Buu saw her…"

"Buu? Mr. Satan's friend? Where is he?" Erik said, his pace beginning to slow as he fell behind Bulma.  
"I dunno. He's usually with Satan though, so maybe you should ask around for both…"

"Gotcha." Erik said.

When Bulma didn't hear anything else, she turned around to find Erik gone. She wasn't surprised.

"How DOES he do that…"

Ash sat in the couch in the bedroom he and Christine were sharing for the night. He was trying to think of something to help, but more and more he found his mind coming back to the same subject.

**__**

Hey, turn that frown upside down buddy! How about a nice game of mah-jong?

"No thanks So…hey wait a minute. How the hell can you play Mah-Jong? You're a blipping sword!"

**__**

Ah, prejudice! And by the way, I do not blip!

"Oh shut up Soulfire." Ash said, the slight smile leaving his face as he again sank back into thought.

**__**

Ok, in all seriousness Ash, why do you look so somber?  
Ash sighed.

"I'm wondering if I'm of any use here."

**__**

Oh not THIS again…I don't want another repeat of the cliff incident! You're flawed, but you overcame those flaws, and you…

"This isn't a matter of flaws, Soulfire. I defeated a god…it took everything I had, and everything everyone else had…but I did it. But it was a victory by the thinnest of margins. Xaxargas ultimately died because by the time he took me seriously it was already too late. If he had done it earlier…I think I would be dead, along with everyone else. Now I'm facing something…someone…who might not only be stronger then Xaxargas, but far less likely to look apon me as amusement. What good am I? I can't destroy solar systems with a wave of my hand! Half those Z Warriors can, and they got their asses kicked. What can I do against a foe as powerful as that?"

The Soulfire was silent.

"I mean, I was the one who volenteered our aid! Would everyone have come if I hadn't? Everyone came with me against Xaxargas because it was our world who was threatened, but this isn't even our world! Did I have a right to drag everyone along, risk the lives of people I care about, of my family, of my wife?"

**__**

Don't ask me those questions Ash. I'm just a sword. But I know one thing. Your world looks apon you as a hero. And if you're a hero Ash, you'll try at least. To run away would be a far worse sin then putting lives at risk. And you know everyone else knows that too, Ash. But do you? Or are you gonna give up?

Ash smirked, and then a cocky look came into his eyes.

"No blipping way."

**__**

I believe ways don't blip either.

Ash hit his sword.

**__**

Owwwwwwww…

"Oh stop that Soulfire. As you said, you're a sword. You can't feel pain."

**__**

Oh turn my words against me will you? Some friend you are!

"Whoever said we considered you a friend? You're more like an annoyance that cuts things for us." Christine said as she came out of the bathroom. She'd changed out of her armour and was now simply wearing her full body outfit.

**__**

Ah! I have been spurned! Rejected! I will throw myself into the sea!

With that, the Soulfire began jerking around in Ash's hand.

"Ok, that's it you. Cool down." Ash said, and slid the Soulfire back into his sheath. He ignored the muffled protests as he set it aside and Christine sat beside him.

"He's right you know. We have to try." Christine said.

"I know. Plus I can't let your brother get all the credit!"

Christine hit her husband on the shoulder.

"Ow!"

"Don't talk that way about him. Really. He's under a lot of strain…and I'm not sure how we can help him." Christine said, as she took her turn at looking worried.

Ash slid his arm around her shoulder, and Christine snuggled against him, as Ash reached out and gently took her chin, lifting it up towards his face.

"Even so, we have to try." Ash said.

Then they kissed, and there were no more words.

Elsewhere, Yamcha was sitting on a bench, the closest seat he had found after the meeting. His body still ached from the beating that Goku had given to him, and he prefered to be sitting rather then standing. There were a few hellos as various people passed by him, and while Yamcha replied, his mind was miles away.

Yamcha, like Ash, was worrying about his worth, but Yamcha had it even worse. While Ash had been spared Goku's wrath, instead having to battle monsters of Vagane's design. Yamcha had been there. At least for the two seconds he had lasted before Goku had beaten him into oblivion.

Yamcha sighed, thinking back to the day, an eternity ago, when he had first met Goku and tried to rob him. Back then, he could go toe to toe with Goku. Goku may have just been a kid, but he was a strong kid, and he had matched Yamcha move for move. Since that day, Yamcha had just found himself falling behind, to the point where he was now. Even if he hadn't slacked off his training, Yamcha had a feeling he still would have found himself beaten to oblivion. Goku had the blood of the mightest warrior race ever flowing through his veins. Yamcha was just a human. The fact that he could blow up the earth if he wanted notwithstanding, he was destined to be forth or fifth string.

It was a depressing and sobering thought, but one that couldn't really be changed. He'd been lucky beyond belief last time. He had managed to survive Agony. He'd endured terrible injuries, including feeling Agony's evil, cold hand closing around his heart before she was blasted away at the last second, but he'd survived.

Would it be the same this time? 

Yamcha sighed and closed his eyes. He didn't know what to do. He doubted he would be much use here, but what could would running away serve?

Was he useless no matter what he chose?

"Hey big boy."

Yamcha opened his eyes at the female voice, and looked up. He blushed slightly when he saw it was Chastity. He may have vanquished his fear of women a long time ago (indeed, that was what had inadvertingly led to his breakup with Bulma. He'd wanted to try more then one kind of candy, so to speak, and in the end he had broken Bulma's heart. Well, Vegeta had turned out to be surprisingly good for her. Yamcha never would have guessed), but every now and then some shyness would rear its ugly head.

"Um…hello…Chastity wasn't it?"

"Yeah. And you're Yamcha?"

"Yeah, that's me. What can I do for you, Chastity?"

Chastity smiled seductively. Yamcha tried not to notice.

"I saw you sitting her, looking depressed. What's wrong?"

Yamcha was planning to give a short answer, but when he opened his mouth he suddenly found he was pouring out the whole story. Chastity stood and listened, and it was clear she was sympathetic.

"You're not worthless Yamcha. Anyone who at least tried to stand up to Goku is far braver then the average man. Even I think I would have run away."

"Oh really? Then why can't I shake the feeling of it?"

"Because you're obessessing over it. You could be doing better things."

"Oh? Like what?"

Then he started as Chastity suddenly sat in his lap, her voice dropping to a seductive whisper.

"Lots of…_things_."

Yamcha gulped slightly. He could barely believe this was happening, although he could start to feel another certain kind of head start to rear.

"But…but…"

"But what?" Chastity said, fluttering her lashes. Yamcha was beginning to hope a bucket of cold water would suddenly appear and dump on his head, or something very embarrassing to him would be happening soon.

"I…barely know you."

Chastity leaned forward, and Yamcha gasped slightly as she suddenly ran her tongue along the outer aspect of his ear.

"So? I'll let you get to know me better. A _lot_ better." She whispered.

Yamcha gulped again, as Chastity leaned back, again smiling seductively.

"_Baise-moi_, Yamcha. I'll be waiting."

And with that, Chastity stood up and walked down the hallway, glancing behind herself before she turned the corner.

Yamcha sat there for a second, then he stood up and tried to calmly walked after Chastity.

"Hey, Yamcha."

Yamcha whirled at Erik's voice to see the dark-haired man standing in a corner.

"How long have you been there?" Yamcha gasped.

"Long enough. Look Yamcha…"

"Hey, hey, if you want me to back off, she…"

"No Yamcha. Chastity's just a friend of mind. I was just going to give you some advice. Treat her with respect, and put her needs ahead of yours."

Yamcha blinked. He couldn't believe what Erik was giving him advice for.

"Why?" was all he managed to blurt out. Erik looked amused, but only by a bit.

"Do what you will Yamcha…but it will get you an experience that is average at best. But do what I suggest…and you'll get the wildest ride of your life. Trust me."

Erik turned to leave. Yamcha stared after him.

"How do you know that? You haven't…?"

"Oh no, I don't know her like you're about to, Yamcha. But I know a great deal on how she thinks. Just call it a good deed on my part, Yamcha. Don't keep her waiting."

And with that, Erik was gone.

A second later, so was Yamcha. Giggling wafted down the corridor, and then it was silent.

Celeste sighed. She had decided that she had hid long enough. Eventually she was going to have to interact with the people out there.

Her shyness made her feel ashamed, but only a bit. She could feel any way she wanted to. Erik knew of her fear, and he was trying his best to help her overcome it.

He was sweet that way.

Celeste sighed and did a little stretching. No time like the present.

Celeste didn't know it, but there was another kind of present crotched in the dusty rafters above her. A present from a madman named Vagane.

Spike smirked. It appeared that fate, or lady luck, or whatever was running things was paying him back for having to trek through a sewer to get here, but he'd found the young woman in short order, even if he'd had to climb a lot of stairs. He knew he could just walk up to her while cloaked and cut her head off, but he hadn't for two reasons.

One was that after all he'd heard about her, he'd probably do _something _that she would pick up, and his cover would be blown.

And two, it wasn't dramatic enough for him. He wanted something more special then a simple decapitation.

And as he'd watched from the door, he'd finally hit apon an idea. Carefully, he'd snuck into the room, and using the greatest amount of care possible, had leapt up to the rafters. He'd managed to get up on them without touching anything, but while he had been making his way across them his shoulder had bumped something and he had reappeared. It didn't matter to him though. He hadn't made a sound and he knew. Finally, he had managed to position above the girl.

It was time to act. Standing carefully, he reached behind himself and pulled the sword off his back. Then he crotched again, getting ready to step off the edge and let gravity carry him down until he drove the sword right through the top of the girl's head. Spike wondered if the act would cut the girl in half. 

And he was anxious to find out.

Moonlight shone through the lone window of the empty room. Its original purpose was unknown, but it would soon seemingly have a new purpose: a slaughterhouse.

And then suddenly, a lone drop of water fell, having finally managed to gather itself due to Spike's sudden stop and new motionlessness. It had grown at the toe of Spike's boot, becoming larger and fatter as Spike had crouched and plotted. When he had stood up, it had finally been shaken free.

Like a drop of pure crystal, moonlight had sparkled through it as it fell, as if the droplet was alive and the moon was trying to make its beyond short life as beautiful as possible.

Then that life ended, as without a sound, without any protest at all, the droplet splashed on Celeste's cheek. Startled by the sudden wetness and ever so slight chill, Celeste put her hand up on her cheek.

Then the wheels in her brain began to turn.

"There's no pipes up there…" Celeste said to herself as she looked up…

…and found herself staring down the blade of a curved, barbed blade as Spike plummeted down towards her, his mouth open in a look that was half snarl and half smile and a wicked gleam in his eye.

"YEOW!"

Celeste's mind immediately shifted over to instinct as her muscles suddenly yanked on her bones and she dove forward.

The blade missed her leg by a millimeter, driving deep into the grey-painted wood floor where Celeste had just been, as she landed on her hands and rolled forward to absorb her momentum.

"GODDAMNIT!" Spike cursed as he yanked his sword from the ground, watching as the girl turned her roll into a thrusting, twisting front flip. There was a quick sound of metal unsheathing and suddenly twin daggers appeared in Celeste's hands as she landed, her body immediately going into a pose of combat-readiness.

Spike smirked. He should have known it wouldn't have been that easy.

And in a way, he was glad of it.

"You." Celeste said, as she recognized the blonde man she had seen with Vagane.

"Well, good day mate, or matess, or whatever. I'm your executioner. But you can call me Spike." Spike said, and charged.

Celeste brought her left arm up as Spike took a wide swing at her, blocking the sword with her dagger. Spike let go of the hilt with one hand and swung it at Celeste, but Celeste snapped her head back and the fist swung over her head.

As Spike tried to recover, Celeste shoved the sword away, even as she used her momentum of straightening back up as a weapon, as she brought back her hand and slammed it across Spike's face, using both her hand and the hilt of her dagger. Spike was staggered, and Celeste brought her leg up and thrust it into his stomach, sending the vampire stumbling backwards. Smirking, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"A wild one eh? Let's see if you're that defiant when you don't have any arms. Oh, and don't count on any help. You did a good job of isolating yourself." 

Celeste's eyes darkened.

"I don't need any help." Celeste said, bringing her daggers back up. "Now, I think I'll claim that finger I failed to get last time."

Spike growled and again charged at Celeste. This time, Celeste made the first move, swinging her dagger at Spike's face. Spike blocked with his sword and then drove a fist into Celeste's stomach. He was disappointed when his hand didn't go right through her body, but her gasp of pain as her air went out of her ash she doubled over was good enough. Lacing his fingers together, Spike brough the hilt of his sword down on her back, driving her to the ground. He tried to swing his sword around, but Celeste suddenly exploded into a whirl of motion, as if she was trying to do some kind of fancy disco move. In reality it was a spinning kick that swept Spike's legs out from under him. He fell with a curse, landing on his back, and Celeste twisted her body upward and tried to slam her heel down on Spike's torso. But Spike was quicker and rolled backwards, flipping to his feet even as Celeste spun back up to hers.

Without saying anything, Spike brought his sword up and attacked Celeste again. Celeste ducked under the swing and slammed her fist into Spike's stomach, then thrust her other hand upward and slammed Spike with an uppercut. Spike staggered but didn't fall.

Then Celeste suddenly reached forward and grabbed Spike by his shoulders. Before Spike could do anything, Celeste suddenly lifted herself up, balancing herself on Spike's shoulders in a perfect handstand. Spike didn't know what she was trying to do, but it didn't matter, as he snarled and tried to cut her down.

Then Celeste leapt off Spike's shoulders, and as she did she swung her legs downward as if she was trying to flip back to her feet. Her heels slammed into Spike's back and he suddenly found himself airborne as he flew forward, crashing face first into the wall as Celeste completed a full flip from the kick and landed on her hands again. She immediately shoved herself back off the ground and vaulted forward again, flipping back to her feet and turning around as Spike began to get up.

His blonde hair now messed up and his face scuffed and bruising on his right temple, Spike snarled and shifted into his game face, baring his fangs at Celeste in pure fury. Celeste was unaffected.

"Huh. You didn't have much going for you before, being Vagane's ally and all, and now you're ugly too."

"Bitch!" Spike roared, and leapt at Celeste, slashing at her at the same time. Celeaste snapped up her daggers and took the blow. Spike yanked his sword away before it could be pushed away and switched it to one hand, slicing the sword at Celeste at a different angle. Celeste dodged and snapped her leg up at Spike in a roundhouse, but this time Spike managed to block. Shoving her leg away, Spike threw Celeste off balance and took advantage of it by slamming his fist across her jaw, expecting the blow to knock her head off.

He was surprised when it didn't.

He was even more surprised when her head snapped back, her eyes filled with a kind of glee. The glory of the hunt.

Then she thrust her arms out and slammed both her palms into Spike's chest, half shoving and half striking the vampire backwards. Clutching his midriff with one hand, Spike regarded the female.

"Why…my strength…" Spike wondered out loud.

"I'm far more then human, vampire. Allow me to demonstrate." Celeste said, and brought her hand up as black energy crackled on it. "RAVEN'S BEAK!"

Spike's eyes widened and he dove to the side as the black blast flew by him, burning a hole in his swirling coat before it struck the wall behind him and blew it apart in an explosion of power. Regaining his feet, Spike looked over his shoulder at the collasping rubble, then back at Celeste. Suddenly smirking, he sheathed his sword.

"C'mon girly. Let's see if you can do that much damage with just your hands, like me." Spike said, gambling.

It worked, as Celeste smirked herself and sheathed her daggers.

And in mid-sheath Spike leapt at her, his boots carrying him forward at incredible speed as he thrust his fist outward at Celeste.

Celeste snapped her arm up, taking the impact directly on her forearm. Her eyes flashed with pain, but it didn't slow her down as Spike tried to punch her with his other arm and she blocked that as well. Snarling, Spike erupted into a fury of punches and kicks, and while it was nowhere as fast as the Z Fighters it was still a sight to behold. Celeste matching him move for move made the sight even more memorable.

In the end though, Spike won out, taking advantage of a slow block by Celeste to bring his leg out and then snap it across her face in a hook kick. Celeste flew several feet through the air before she crashed into the wall. Spike leapt up and tried to stomp on her, but she twirled up and out of the way and Spike drove his foot through the ground. Back on her feet, Celeste went airborne and smashed Spike across the back of his head with a twirling heel kick, yanking him out of the ground as he smashed face first into the wall again. Celeste pistoned her leg out at Spike's head, but he recovered in time and moved, causing Celeste to slam her foot through the wall. As dust sifted down from the new hole, Spike whirled and backhanded the woman with all his might. Blood sprayed in a stream as Celeste blasted across the room, crashing back first into the ruined wall.

Spike didn't let up, as he immediately charged the dazed woman, yanking his sword off his back as he did. With a yell, he leapted skyward and thrust his sword down at Celeste's head.

CHA-CLANG!

Spike's face darkened with rage as he found his sword caught between the V shape of Celeste's crossed daggers and began to press down, trying to break the block. Celeste, having gotten to her knees and snapped out her daggers to block in a blur of movement, grimaced from the pressure being brought down on her, as blood flowed freely from her right nostril.

"Give it up girl." Spike snarled.

"You first." Celeste shot back, and then suddenly twisted her daggers as she yanked her arms sideways, pulling the sword out of Spike's hands. Spike gasped, and then yelled as Celeste then twisted her legs up and thrust them into his chest, sending him stumbling backwards.

Celeste got to her feet, her daggers at the ready. Spike glared at her, then thrust out his hand.

And his sword suddenly glided across the floor and flew back into his right hand. Smirking, he brought it back up to his side.

"I got a few tricks up my sleeve."

"So do I." Celeste said, and brough her daggers together to form an X shape. Black energy exploded into life and began crackling on the weapons, even as it traveled up her arms and enveloped her whole body. Spike set himself, waiting for the blast.

"DEVIL MAY CARE!"

It wasn't an energy blast.

It was an energy-propelled _charge,_ as Celeste flexed her legs and then rocketed at Spike, her energy aura exploding into an even fiercer blaze in the process. Spike's jaw dropped and then he screamed as Celeste slammed into him, driving her shoulder into his gut and shoving him backwards. Spike could feel the heat, surging and burning on the girl's body and starting to fry away his shirt even as they both flew backwards.

Right through the lone window in the room.

As Spike felt the glass shatter across his back and saw it spray around him in a field of sparkling flashes of crystal, he realize two things.

The first thing was that Celeste had meant to do this.

And the second was that they were at least five stories off the ground.

As Celeste's black power faded from her body and Spike felt gravity seizing both of them, Celeste began to draw away from Spike.

"YOU STUPID BITCH! WE'RE FALLING!" Spike roared.

"No, actually, _you're _falling." Celeste said, and then slammed her fist into Spike's face, sending him flying away from her. Her other hand went through a blur of movement and suddenly her dagger was in her hand. As Spike flew away, she slammed it into the wall of Capsole Corp, and her face contorted in pain as her left arm took the weight of her whole body as the dagger raked itself through the wall with a shriek of metal. Celeste braced herself with her legs and jammed her other dagger into the wall as she began to slow down, even as she watched Spike plummet downward towards the unforgiving ground.

"Happy landings, asshole!"

Spike was grateful for one thing. He was still holding his sword in his hand, and hence it wasn't on his back when he slammed into the ground.

The shock drove all the metaphorical wind out of him, his fingers splaying and tossing the sword away as if by their own power. His head banged against the ground then, and stars exploded in his vision.

Spike closed his eyes and tried to get his senses, and then the pain hit, a deep ripping agony that seemed to surge through every one of his nerve cells at once. He would have screamed, if he wasn't in so much pain he couldn't even open his mouth. Almost as an afterthought, his face slid back to his normal features, wracked and contorted with pain.

"This day could not get any worse." Spike muttered, as the pain began to fade. He opened his eyes as his vision returned.

And allowed him to see Celeste diving off the building and thrust herself down at him, her daggers extended to drive into his chest.

Spike yelped and somehow found the strength to move, rolling to the side. The ground shattered as Celeste hit it, clods of dirt and grass flying through the air and showering Spike. Coughing, he managed to get to aching legs as Celeste straightened up. He couldn't believe it. She had taken the full impact to her knees and arms and she had somehow absorbed the entire impact with no ill effect.

Celeste swept her hair out of her face as Spike tried to ignore the pain he was still in. He was lucky, in a sense. If he'd been human, he would most likely be dead. Even so, it had been a miracle he hadn't broken a single bone. Maybe his vampire body was a lot tougher then he knew.

That mattered little to him though. At the moment, he just wanted to rip Celeste's head off. He shifted back into his game face and snarled at Celeste. He snapped his hand out and the sword flew back into it.

Celeste din't say anything, as she brought her daggers up and charged Spike. Spike swung his sword and Celeste parried, then countered with her own slice. Spike also parried.

To the light of a full moon, the two dueled on the ruined lawn, but Spike knew he was at a disadvantage. His body was still aching from the fall, and it was slowing him down. He didn't know if the fact that Celeste's daggers appeared to be made of some kind of metal would keep him safe if she managed to get one through his heart, but he didn't want to find out.

He had to get away and recover. It wouldn't take long. Then he could show Celeste the true meaning of pain.

As Spike leapt backwards a dozen feet from Celeste's latest slash, he glanced to the side. His eyebrows rose slightly. While the side he had seen Capsole Corps from looked over the beginnings of the suburbs, the corperation was so huge that this end emptied into what looked like part of the "down town" of the city Capsole Corp was in. Spike smirked. Maybe being tossed out the window wasn't so bad. He would retreat (strategically of course) into the city, or more specifically, into its alleys. He could hide in there forever if he kept moving, but he didn't need forever. All he needed was a few minutes.

He was sure the girl would chase after him. After all, if she just let him go, "innocents" could get hurt.

But just in case…

Celeste's eyes widened as Spike turned instead of attacking anew and ran off.

"Catch me if you can!" Spike called behind him, as he leapt into the air, flying thirty feet in a second. Celeste growled. She must have knocked the vampire even stupider when she'd tossed him out the window, he was trying to play with her. Very well, she could play any game. Sliding her daggers back into her sheaths, she took off after Spike.

Yamcha wasn't quite sure what to do. He'd been wandering the halls for a bit, trying his best to get his goofy grin off his face. However, every time he checked, he found it back on.

Besides that, Yamcha was at a loss. What to do? Brag? No, Chastity wouldn't like that. Contemplate? Would that serve any purpose? Meditate? Could he calm down enough to do that?

If the feeling hadn't been so pleasant, Yamcha might have wished to be back for his encounter with Chastity. At least he had a good idea what to do with the Goku situation, whatever he could. But this…

"Don't get so worked up over it."

Yamcha nearly jumped out of his skin as Erik suddenly materilized out of the shadows of the hallway. He calmed down quickly though, his surprise replaced by confusion.

"Wh-what?"

"What happened. If it's affecting you this much, I take it you followed my advice. Here's some more Yamcha. Don't build it up in your head, and don't think you can go anywhere with it. Chastity may like you, and she might romp around the bedroom with you another time or two, but in the end, you're just an end to her means. Don't blame yourself Yamcha. You're a good man. That's just the way Chastity is, how she has to live her life. Maybe she'll change in time, if there is time, but for now, well, you're just the flavor of the day Yamcha. I just thought I'd break it to you gently."

Yamcha was floored, and his ego had taken a bit of a beating as well. Erik turned to leave, but Yamcha wasn't going to let him get away that easily.

"Hey, Erik! Just what are you talking about?"

Erik turned slightly back towards Yamcha.

"Sigh. Ok Yamcha. You think you just went through something special. You think you've bonded with Chastity and it could go places. This feeling eventually fades, but not before the male does something that either gets his feelings hurt or his body hurt. There is nothing special for Chastity, Yamcha. You just saitified her and helped her let down her hair a little and have some fun in a time of crises. That's it, that's all."

"But…but…"

"Don't believe me if you will Yamcha. I've seen it before, and I don't want it happening to you. You always struck me as a womanizer, someone who has an uncontrollable urge to scatter their seed as far as possible. However, womanizers are also usually arrogant, stupid pricks with sperm for brains. You're not. As I said, don't blame yourself. That's the way Chastity is. If you expect it, you can part as friends, instead of with resentment. I don't need that now. If my team and your friends are going to work together, I need the wheels to be smooth."

Yamcha was silent.

"Do you understand?"

"Yeah. I do Erik. But I just want to know…why?"

"Why what?"

"Why does Chastity act that way?"

Erik's face hardened a tad. Yamcha's eyes widened.

"It is not…a nice story. In fact, it still makes me angry. But if you wish to know, I will tell you, if only to help you make the split from Chastity easier. But do not tell this story to anyone. It is not something to gossip about. If anything, it is why I became what I became. Because of the people out there who made Chastity into what she is."

"Who?"

"Her father."

Spike was beginning to think that Lady Luck had only been handing out large portions of chance in his favour because she truly enjoyed seeing the scales swing back the other way and bite him in the ass in the process.

The plan had gone well at first. He made it to the alleys well ahead of Celeste, and quickly utilized his decades of experience to disappear into the shadows. It hadn't taken him long until he'd felt like his old self, and a quick snack on a homeless bum he'd run across had made him feel even better. That done, he'd gone hunting.

And been given a rude shock, for Celeste had seemingly melted into the shadows herself. And thus Spike had spent the last twenty minutes hunting through the alleys, getting more and more frustrated. He couldn't believe he was being outwitted by this girl, who was only human and had far less experience in the matters of the hunt.

Then again, she had had a hell of a teacher.

Spike snuck around the corner of the alleyway, his sword bared, the blade shining briefly in the moonlight. It seemed as hungry to feast on blood as Spike himself.

But there was nothing to feast on, as the brief moonlight, before the silver orb vanished behind a cloud, showed only a dead end alleyway. Locked doors led into the buildings that made up the alleyways, eventually ending in another building that sealed off the passage. Spike stared down the length of road, his eyes scanning everything. The only thing there was garbage. And him. And he was beginning to feel like the former.

"I can't believe the bitch could do this…I can't kill what I can't…"

Then the moon suddenly peeked through the cloud, illuminating the alleyway briefly, and Spike saw the shadow drawn over him.

"…find?" Spike finished as he whirled.

And then yelled as Celeste dove from the roof of the building and slammed her foot into his face at an angled jump kick. Spike was knocked flat on his back as Celeste literally bounced off his face and back into the air, twisting and landing on her feet facing him, her daggers out and ready as Spike flipped back to his feet.

"Tag. You're it." Celeste mocked.

Spike didn't reply, swinging his weapon wildly at Celeste. Celeste ducked and the weapon bit into the wall. Spike cursed and let go with one hand, swinging it at Celeste as he tried to yank the sword out with the other hand. Celeste blocked the clumsy blow and scored a right jab to the face. Spike's hand slipped off the hilt of the blade as he staggered backwards, and then he was pitched into the side of the alleyway wall as Celeste twirled and slammed her foot into the side of his head. Spike growled and went low, sweeping out his leg and tripping Celeste. Before she could recover he pounced, leaping on top of her and raining down fists at her face as she did her best to block.

__

These damn gloves can't do shit if they can't cripple this damn girl! Does she have armour plating around her bones or something, or am I just losing my touch?

Then he yelled as Celeste slammed her knee upward right into his pride and joy. He reeled and Celeste contorted her leg up and jammed it against his chest, before she grabbed him with her arms and flipped the vampire over her. Spike landed on his back, busying himself with his pain, as Celeste flipped to her feet. As Spike tried to get up, she measured him and then leapt, swinging out her leg for a fatal neak-breaking kick.

And then her luck ran out, as Spike suddenly brought his arms up and grabbed her leg in mid move. With a roar, he twisted and hurled Celeste back first into the nearest wall. The dirty, moist brick shattered as the woman slammed against it with a cry, her daggers flying from her hands and spiralling off into the shadows of the alleyway. Utterly furious, Spike didn't let up, stepping forward and bring his foot up into Celeste's rib cage. The woman literally flew up off the ground, but she didn't get far as Spike met in mid-toss with a punch, sending her brutally slamming back into the concrete. Cracking his knuckles, Spike reached down and grabbed Celeste, and with a final roar, hurled her across the alleyway. Celeste slammed against the dead end of the alleyway, collasping into the bags of garbage.

Spike looked around, and his eyes seized on the lone dumpster in the area. As Celeste began to get to her feet, Spike strode over to it. He cracked his knuckles again and looked over at the woman.

"Game over, girly!"

And the Spike reared back and punched the end of the dumpster with all his might. The metal side was torn open by the blow, but the end result was that the dumpster was thrown forward at high speed, garbage spilling out as it barreled down on Celeste like an out of control missile. Celeste, on her feet, looked at the flying garbage bin in shock.

Then it slammed into her and she disappeared as it slammed against the wall with a tremendous mettalic bang. There was another brief series of noises as garbage, tossed by the impact and the force the metallic dumpster had given off hitting the wall, fell and sifted down.

And then there was silence.

Spike took a deep breath, then broke out in a grin as his normal features reappeared.

"I win this round. Maybe in the next life, Celeste." Spike said, and walked over to his sword. Grabbing it with both hands and setting his legs, Spike pulled backwards and managed to yank the sword out. Smirking, he stuck it back on his his back, and casting one last glance at the dumpster, got ready to leave.

Then the dumpster exploded off the wall with a scream. Spike's eyes went wide, but he barely had time to do anything as the dumpster flew past him, missing him by an inch. Spike's head jerked as he followed the dumpster as it crashed against the opposite alley wall.

Spike's eyes widened. He couldn't believe it. The impact had been so fierce that no only had the wall broken, but the metal of the dumpster had bent inward, like a crushed can. The side of the dumpster facing towards Spike however, was the worst. There was a slight sizzling noise emitting from it as he looked at it, the metal runny and soft as if the whole end had been subjected to a giant blowtorch. 

Then Spike turned back to the hole in the wall as Celeste walked out. She didn't even appear to have a single broken bone, although her face and outfit were scuffed, with a bruise forming on her cheek. Spike couldn't believe it. How the hell had the girl managed to keep from getting hurt, much less hit the dumpster with a blow that did the damage it did?

"Ready for round two, Spike?" Celeste taunted as she thrust out her hands. There was a slight rustling and then her daggers flew back into them.

Spike suddenly didn't care how Celeste had done it. He just wanted to kill her. Snarling, his features went feral once more as he leapt at the woman.

Yamcha was stunned.

"Did you…say…no…he didn't…how could…"

Erik sighed, his face suddenly wearing the expression of "I've heard this song before, and I don't blame them". While he and Yamcha had been conversing, they had wandered into another one of Capsole Corp's lounges. He pulled out a chair and sat down.

"Yamcha…sometimes there are things that you can't understand, can't comprehend, no matter how hard you try. And one of them is that there are sick men and women out there. People who have wires up here that are crossed or uncrossed in such a way that their way of thinking is impossible for us to grasp. Like Agony. Like Vagane. And like Chastity's father. He was a sick man, a truly sick man, and his sickness made him very dangerous. He didn't go around ripping out people's hearts or plan impossible schemes based on his own grand delusions…but in the end, it didn't matter. I am simply trying to give you an idea on how twisted her father was, Yamcha."

Yamcha was silent.

"Chastity's father, for Chastity never spoke his name, had one goal in life. How he aquired it, and how his brain, his way of thinking, his moral compass, whatever it was got warped enough for him to desire it, I don't know. Chastity's father wanted to "consume" a girl of utter "purity". He wanted to take complete innocence and shatter it. But it had to be complete. Whole, utter, and absolute. So he set a plan in motion. He found Chastity's mother, and convinced her to marry him. He cared not for her at all, she was merely a means to his end. But Chastity's mother, Alice, never realized it until too late. She was a thoroughly silenced woman, her life and upbringing teaching her that woman are not supposed to have "a voice" and that she was not entitled to one. Do you understand this Yamcha?"

"Yes." Yamcha said. His face had grown solumn.

"Chastity does not know for certain, but she thinks she might of had a older brother. But if she did, her faher quickly took care of it. SIDS is easy to fake if you know what you are doing. Her father wanted a girl, one he could raise and have total control of. That way…he could keep her "pure"…and when the time came…"

Erik trailed off, his face full of disgust. Yamcha's face mirrored Erik. _And to think I rejected him when I found out about his deeds. If he kills men like that, I think he may be the blessing to humanity he wants to be._

"Chastity was soon born. Her name mirrors her father's desires. Total chastity, and total faith. Her father's preperations were insane. He made her wear clothes that covered every bit of skin, drab styles that matched her hair. He forbid her from having friends, aquitances, or anything. And he made sure he kept her in line. He never hit her, he did not want to damage his "vessal", but he hit her mother, and that was enough to keep Chastity in line. However, despite his efforts, Chastity eventually began to bloom into a lovely woman. Her father grew paranoid. He withdrew her from school, claiming he would home school her. Instead, he made her a virtual prisoner. Chastity never really had a chance. She was never given an outside opinion that her father was insane. If you're raised all your life by a group of people who say the sky is green, you will think the sky is green. You need an outside opinion to consider other options. Chastity's father made sure she never got that option…until it was too late."

Yamcha's brow arched. _Please don't tell me…_

"The end came when Chastity was sixteen. I don't know what touched off her father…but from Chastity's blurred account, I think Alice found out about her husband's plans for her daughter. Even for Alice, that was too much I will assume. It is one thing to be silenced. It is another when you find out a madman's plans for a child that came from you too. Alice tried to stop her husband…she failed. Chastity tried to help her mother, but also failed, and she was forced to watch as her father murdered her mother. Perhaps taking a life was enough to cause Chastity's father to snap, because he decided he would "consume" Chastity right then and there. I can't imagine what it must have been like for Chastity, to see her father kill her mother, and then try to violate her in a way beyond cruel…beyond human tolerance. Humans should not be able to do that…but they can. And Chastity's father tried. But there was one thing he couldn't have counted on, something he couldn't have known. When he tried to rape his daughter, he triggered Chastity's pyrokinesis."

"Her what?" Yamcha said, while feeling a bit relieved. Evidentally the story wasn't going to end as he feared it was.

"Pyrokinesis. The mental ability to start fires. Don't ask me how it works. But it does. She may have been his daughter, but Chastity has the same deeply rooted feelings for survival as any human being. In the end, we are animals. And you don't want to back an animal into a corner. Because they will bite. Or in Chastity's case, burn."

Yamcha blinked.

"So what happened?"

"Chastity torched the house. It wasn't her fault. She had no idea that the power was there, and apon its release, she had no idea how to control it. But she managed to do one thing with it. She turned it on her father…and ensured that he would spend the rest of his life in agony, unable to shatter her, or any other girl, ever. If you know what I mean."

"I do." Yamcha said. He thought of the times he had been kicked between his legs, the burning pain. He could only guess at what having the whole organ burned off would feel like. And how fitting a fate it was. "What happened to him?"

Erik smirked, but it was grim smirk.

"The idiot actually tried for revenge, years later. He thought he would still have enough of a hold on Chastity to keep her placid until he claimed what he wanted. He was right, but only to a degree. He still had a hold on Chastity, but this time Chastity had friends. Including me. And when he came for her…after what she told us, what he did to her…we made him suffer. I think it may have been the only time we argued over who got to kill a man. In the end, Chastity stepped up and did it. A more violent and brutal death…even I would have trouble coming up what she did to him. You can claim any way you want to purge your demons…that was Chastity's way. His death. Not for her though. For her mother. Because in the end, even after what he did to her, she was alive, and for the most part, happy. Alice was dead…I hope her soul can rest in peace now."

Yamcha was silent. He had no idea.

"But Erik...that happened when she was sixteen. She's at least twenty-two now. What happened between then and there?"

"What do you think, Yamcha?"

"I like big butts and I cannot lie, you other brothers can't deny, that when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist and a round thing in your face, you get sprung…!" blasted the stereo system. Even with the volume turned all the way and the small size of the club, it barely drowned out the racous cheers, whoops, and roars as the various women danced on their stages.

It was a bizzare scene. The air was so charged with testosterone that it practically crackled, but none of it would be expended, at least not in the club itself. The men continued to holler and yell as the slim women with lovely faces or exceptional "assets" danced on their small pillars, whirling around on the metal pole like it was their lone goal in life. The men's thorough enjoyment of the dance was almost paradoxical. In a sense, it could be compared to hell. While these naked, attractive women danced and pretended to be wild with lust for the men who were screaming at them, the facts clearly stated that unless he wanted to get hurt, the man could not touch the woman, the woman could not touch the man, and the man couldn't touch himself. And to top it all off, when the girl was done she took all the man's money. Hell.

Then again, men never seemed to use their larger head for the thinking in those situations. And thus the men continued to scream and consume large amounts of alcohol dispersed by female waitresses. Near the door and in a few other exits, beefy bouncers stood, arms crossed, looking for the slightest sign of trouble, and some hoping for it. The show was of no care to them, they'd seen it all a thousand times, and for the most part, they had girlfriends.

At the moment, Bianca Allure was taking Centre Stage, literally, as she danced on the stage in the middle of the club. Her performance, done to the roaring tune of Sir Mix-a-Lot's "Baby Got Back" and flashing spotlights, was enhanced to a special degree by the large skylight above her. It had been opened because the moon had hovered into position over the club and the sky had cleared enough so the moonlight was uninterrupted, bathing Bianca's nude body in silvery light. It was a position of some choice, and Bianca was taking advantage of it, dancing as if it was her last night on earth and this was all she wanted to do. And the men responded the way she wanted to: with money.

It was during the height of her masterful performance that she saw the shadow fall over her. Making it part of her dance, she swept her head up to see what was going on. Repairs to the club roof were done during the day, so who was up…?

Then she screamed as the figure crashed through the skylight. Forgetting her act, she dove out of the way as the shower of glass rained down as Celeste crashed down onto the stage, caving the wooden floor in. A somewhat confused silence fell over the club as the sudden commotion, punctuated by boos and drunken "Yeah Babies!"

Then Spike came plummeting down, his blade swinging over his head as he tried to bring it down on Celeste's body. But Celeste snapped her arms up and Spike's sword again met her intersected daggers. As Spike landed, Celeste contorted her body backwards and brought her leg up behind her, slamming it into Spike's face with all of her might. It was mighty indeed, as Spike yelled as he was thrown backwards, flying across the room and hitting one of the tables, spilling drinks and ashtrays as his weight toppled the table over. The two men who were at the table began to get up to protest, but then they saw Spike's feral, monsterous features, and decided that they could live without the drinks as they quickly took their leave.

However, most of the club had gotten the same idea, as a mass of screams interrupted as the dancers and waitresses ran for cover. The patrons of the club were also startled, but instead of fear, their shock quickly turned into anger. As Celeste pulled herself from the ruined stage, one of those patrons, a large 6'2 man, grabbed her arm.

"What the hell…" was all he managed to get out, before Celeste snapped her hand up and backhanded the man, knocking him silly and throwing him off his feet. His friends stared at his prone body as Celeste turned her eyes on them.

"Stay out of my way if you don't wanna get hurt." She growled, and headed towards Spike, who was back on his feet.

"Huh. Hooters R Us. Not a bad place to be." Spike said, before he saw Celeste. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot about you."

Celeste's only answer was to slash her daggers as Spike, and as the two began to duel again, the patrons who had decided to stick around decided it might be in their better interest to leave, lest one of the combantant's blades got stuck into some place they didn't want a sharp blade stuck into.

"FREEZE!" came a sudden yell, as one of the beefy bouncer, his hands clutched uncertainly on a shotgun, walked up to Spike and Celeste and pointed the weapon at them. Celeste, startled, turned her head at this sudden new threat and paid for it as Spike slammed her with a punch. Celeste went airborne and flew across the club, crashing into one of the bars and vanishing behind it in a hail of shattered bottles.

"I SAID FRE-" the bouncer managed to get out before Spike turned contemptous eyes on him. Then he brough the sword up in a blur of motion, slicing the weapon in half. As gunpowder and a shattered shell fell from the useless weapon, the bouncer's eyes went wide at Spike's vampiric features.

"Piss off mate, I'm busy." Spike growled. The bouncer took his advice and fled. Spike dusted himself off and headed across the room to the bar where he had seen Celeste vanish behind. He wasn't going to go around or over it though. He had a better plan.

Celese, on her knees, gasped as Spike's sword blade suddenly burst from the wood of the bar in front of her. She pushed herself backwards as the blade withdrew and slammed through the wood again, just where she had been laying. Celeste then threw herself forward again as the blade withdrew and slashed through the wood, slicing a channel across the ball of her black boot. However, the ground she was manovering on was slick with liquid from shattered drinks, and her forward lunge cause her to slip and sprawl on the ground. Spike heard the cry of surprise and smirked, as he drew the sword back and aimed it from where the scream had come.

Then it was slammed across the back of his head, and Spike's vision blurred even as pain exploded across the back of his skull as he was knocked onto the bar. Recovering quickly, Spike shoved himself backwards as the stool slammed down where his head had just been, readying his sword. One of the bitches's companions must have tracked her down. No matter, he could…

Then his eyes widened in shock. It wasn't any of Celeste's allies. Instead, Spike found himself staring at a Hispanic man in a dirty white shirt and dirty jeans. The man's face, hair, and scraggly, greasy beard were as filthy as his clothes, and the stink of alcohol coming off of him was so strong that it almost made Spike's eyes cross. The man was clearly drunk out of his mind, but Spike cared more that the Mexican had hit him with a barstool.

"Who the hell are…"

"HANDS OFF ESSE! SHE'S MINE!" The drunk Mexican yelled before he swung the stool again. Spike caught the blow on his forehead, sending him staggering backwards until his lower back slammed into one of the stages. Spike's knees gave out and he fell on his rear, stars dancing in his vision.

"Bloody mexican…!" Spike cursed, trying to get his senses. Meanwhile, Celeste had used the distraction to get to her feet, and leaping over the bar, she looked at her unlikely savior.

"Hey thanks buddy, but you'd better…"

"Get right to it baby! You wan some of dis supa peniz actan! I no you want peniz acton!" The Mexican slurred in heavily accented English. Celeste was floored as she realized the Mexican's motivations and intention, even as he reached out and tried to paw at her breasts.

Celeste's punch almost knocked the Mexican sober again as he flew across the bar, hitting the buffet table set up against one wall and collasping it under his weight as food flew everywhere, including all over him.

"Ohhh, I think she likes me." The Mexican moaned, and passed out. Spike looked over at the man sprawled amongst splinters of wood and ruined food.

"Why the hell do they have a buffet in a strip club anyway, who the hell comes here to eat…?" Spike muttered to himself, as he pulled himself up and looked back to Celeste. The woman was lowering her arm, her body still shaking from revulsion, disgust, and fury. He may not have meant to, but the Mexican had hit a nerve. Almost as an afterthought, she turned back to Spike. Spike smirked.

"Funny, he seemed like your type."

The searing pain came a second later, and Spike yelled as he brought his hand up to his right ear. He felt the wetness and pulled his hand away to find it was covered with his blood, and he turned his head to see Celeste's dagger near his head, the weapon having gone right through the metal pole the stripper used in her dance and stuck there. The girl had thrown the weapon so fast he hadn't even seen it.

"Maybe he's your type. Blood type that is. You might need to know." Celeste snarled. Any sarcasm and humour was lost in the girl's rage, which was made even more apparent when she immediately charged Spike. Spike growled and swung a low sword blow at her, but Celeste leapt over it, twirling in mid-air and slamming Spike with a backhand. Spike staggered, but managed to block Celeste's follow up kick and smashed his fist into her stomach. He followed it up with his knee to her forehead, and as she staggered backwards, he spun and roundhouse-kicked her. But Celeste used the backwards momentum to her advantage as she grabbed the pole and swung around it, bringing her foot against the side of Spike's head. The blow severely unbalanced Spike as he stumbled to the side for nearly fifteen feet before he was able to right himself.

Yelling, Spike reached over and grabbed the nearest table, lifting it like it was made of cardboard and hurling it at Celeste. But there was a blur of motion and blackness, a cracking noise, and the table stopped dead as it was split in half, the two pieces falling to the side as Celeste was revealed holding her other dagger, even as the dark energy faded on it. 

Then she slipped her foot under a nearby fallen chair and yanked it upward, throwing the chair upward. It didn't get far, as Celeste immediately spun and smashed the chair with a backward twisting heel kick, sending it tumbling at Spike. Spike leapt to the side as the chair missed, but then tripped over another one and went spawling again. He immediately rolled with the momentum and flipped to his feet, his torn and battered jacket swirling around him.

"Don't move!"

Spike turned to the voice to find another pair of bouncers aiming weapons at him. However, unlike the previous one, these two held handguns, and their grip showed they knew how to use them, unlike their fellow.

On the other hand, these bouncers had spent their careers dealing with the wrong kind of people. The only trouble they got was from drunken patrones who were too soused to fight back, and an occasional jealous lover. They knew how to the fire the weapons, but in pure fighting terms, they had no idea how to _use _them.

And against a homicidal, furious vampire, the guns wouldn't have worked anyway. Spike was through fooling around and just swung his sword.

The men never saw it coming, as Spike sliced off both their heads with one giant swing. Blood gouted, spraying on the walls, the floor, and even on the ceiling as the bodies fell over, their guns falling from jerking, dead fingers. Blood sprayed on Spike as well, but he just smiled, licking it off.

"I should have done this in the first place." Spike said, jamming his sword into the ground and reaching down to seize the twin handguns. He cocked the hammers and whirled to face Celeste, who had yanked her other dagger free and was staring right back at him.

"Dodge this mate!" Spik yelled, and squeezed both triggers.

At the same time, Celeste snapped back her arms and hurled the Ruined Soul daggers.

Later, viewers of the security footage would watch the events that happened over and over in slow motion, but no matter how many times they watched it, none could believe what they saw as the daggers spun through the air, intercepting both bullets blade first and cutting them in half as cleanly as a laser. The wrecked shells, losing momentum and drive, had spun off in different directions and blasted past Celeste in a pattern that should have hit her anyway, but hadn't. The daggers, unlike the bullets, had not been slowed down by the impact at all, continuing their journey until they arrived at their destination a quarter of a second later.

The points slammed themselves directly into the twin barrels of Spike's guns.

Just as Spike was in the process of squeezing both triggers a second time.

Spike screamed as the guns literally exploded in his hands, the blocked bullet holes causing a chain reaction of malfunctions that led almost immediately to the destruction of the firearms. Something sharp hit Spike just above the eye as he staggered backwards, his hands feeling like they were on fire. In disbelief, he held up his hands.

His gloves were shredded, sparking circuitry barely visible around his exposed and wounded hands. Blood leaked from half a dozen cuts as Spike continued to stare at his hands. The guns's violent disentigration into shrapnal had been too much for the gloves to take, the fabric unable to keep from tearing under the point-blank rain of sharp metallic shards.

"Aw, did you get a boo boo?" Celeste mocked, as her daggers flew back to her hands and she slid them into the sheaths on her forearms. Spike looked at Celeste as hate filled his eyes, as blood began running from a cut on his forehead. He had had enough. He was going to kill that woman or he was going to die trying!

Screaming, Spike yanked his sword out with aching fingers and charged at Celeste. He slashed at her, but she ducked and all he managed to do was cleave through the metal pole behind her. Celeste pistoned her fist forward into Spike's stomach, causing the vampire to double over. As she got up, she grabbed a beer bottle from one of the tables.

"Want a drink?" Celeste asked, then slammed the bottle across the back of Spike's head. As Spike felt the bottle shatter, spraying alcohol and glass shards across the back of his head, he reflected that with all the blows to the head he was suffering, maybe he should have wore a helmet.

Then Celeste leapt up and snapped her leg up in a full axe kick, bringing her shin and foot up across Spike's chest and head. Once again, Spike found himself airborne as he flew across the now-empty strip club, slamming against the wall and going right through it as the wall caved into behind him. Spike suddenly found himself back in the cool night air, and back in free fall. _Not this again!_

Then he hit the ground. The drop had been less then five feet. But it was still painful.

Back in the club, Celeste walked calmly towards the new hole in the wall, pausing only to smash the music player, finally cutting of the Sir Mix A Lot song that had boomed through the club the whole time.

"And here I was thinking he would quickly run out of ways to describe a woman's rear end. Men." Celeste said to herself as she came to to the hole.

Just in time to watch Spike scampering off into the shadows. Celeste looked after him.

"Go ahead and run, Spike. You won't get away. Not from me."

Yamcha was silent again. Erik took that as an indication that he should continue.

"Chastity may have been free of her father, but it was out of the frying pan and into the fire. Her home was gone, and she had no one else to turn to. She didn't have anything except the torn clothes on her back. It must have been miserable…wandering the streets with no idea what to do. She only managed to survive through spontaneous manifestations of her pyrokinesis. This lasted about a week…but to Chastity, it seemed like a year. Then she met Angelica St. Croix."

Yamcha blinked.

"That's a strange name."

"Not really. You see, she was a prostitute. It was her street name. Her real name was probably known only to her and the police, most likely. But despite the business she was in, Angelica was a good person at heart, a rather rare thing for a lady of the night. Maybe it was because she knew how to defend herself and she took no shit from anyone. Or maybe…it was the man she knew, the man who took care of her. I never learned his first name, only that it began with a D. His last name was Mantingatango, don't ask me where it came from. But he was better known by his street name: D-Man. He was, as you might have guessed, a pimp. You know, looking at this as I tell it, it sounds like something out of a movie, doesn't it?"

"It's unreal enough. I thought pimps were horrible people…men who abused women to the point until there's nothing left."

"A good many are. I've dealt with my fair share. But not all of them. Some use violence to keep their "girls" in line. Others use psychological warefare and drugs. But D-Man was different. I don't know how he kept his "women" loyal to him, because he seemingly didn't have a nasty bone in his body, unless you proved a threat to him. Then he became as vicious as any man was. I personally think that something happened to him as a child that seperated him from people he cared about…that there were a lot of women with these people, and that he looked apon those girls as sort of a replacement "family". And believe me, I know. Years later, some of us were with Chastity on a mission when we ran into him. It appeared he liked being a pimp, because he continued to be one after the Change and he appeared to be very good at it. None the less, our paths crossed…I could sense that at heart he was a good man. He was Pure, in his own way. It was strange…Chastity was so happy to see him…she acted like HE was her father. And despite their relationship…I guess he was. In the end, he was probably a lot better for her then her real father. The bastard. But I'm getting off topic. Angelica, as mentioned, met Chastity, and she took her in. Maybe she saw something of herself in Chastity, I don't know. She brought her to D-Man…man I wish I knew his first name, I feel ridiculous saying that over and over."

"I'll say."

"As mentioned, D-Man took a shine to Chastity. He took her in, and Chastity began to live with him and his girls. For his job, it's very strange he didn't immediately try and force her into the line of work he trafficked in. Instead, as he got to know her, he basically employed her as his errand girl, making her do all sorts of odd jobs and giving her food and lodging in return. It didn't take long for Chastity's story to come out and be known to them. Most of the girls could relate, they'd all had similar experiences which had driven them to the streets. But while such experiences usually either destroy women at once or over a long period of time, Angelica and her friends weren't like that. They knew they weren't in the wrong as so many women come to believe, and they passed their sentiments on to Chastity. It didn't take long for it to sink in, and Chastity realized just how much of a sick bastard her father was, and how he had used her for his sick dream. It was terribly shocking to the young woman…but it also changed her. Chastity realized that all her ways of living had just been preperations for her father's dream. So she decided that the rest of her life would be lived in the exact opposite way her father had wanted. And this stands today. Chastity lives her life as an eternal defiance against her father."

Yamcha was silent, but in his head a clear picture was beginning to emerge.

"And with that decision, Chastity immediately went to the opposite side of the spectrum she had lived her whole life. Out went the cover all outfits, in went the skimpiest clothes and outfits she could find. She ditched her shyness and began flirting with any guy who so much glanced at her. And perhaps the greatest thing…her choice of promiscuity. When Chastity was seventeen, D-Man had one of his…well, associates initiate her into the business, and Chastity began a prostitute herself."

Yamcha's eyebrows raised.

"You have a problem with this?"

"Uh no…but…isn't that rather perverse…I mean, to go into that…kind of lifestyle…so easily…even as a defiance…?"

Erik was silent for a second, and then he smirked bitterly.

"Ah Yamcha…let me tell you something about humanity. As a species, it tends to have certain…"habits". And one of them is that they will often take something that is at least, harmless, and at the most, "good" for a person, and they will demonize it. They've done it with aspects of a person, whether it be skin colour, sex, age, or nationality. They've done it with religion, ways of living, countries, and above all else, they've done it with sex. At some point in humanity's life someone got the idea that the act of intercourse itself is somehow bad, that it is somehow unnatural, that it is "sinful". The logic in this is just utterly riduculous in my own opinion. Intercourse is the only way humanity can reproduce, if we may discount the same efforts science had discovered, it should be the most natural act on the planet. But somehow this utterly ludicruous idea spread, and it reigned for centuries. Even today, when society becoming more open by the day, children are still denied any information on intercourse at all because people think it is "dirty". But there is a problem with this, Yamcha. People are going to find out about intercourse eventually, and from there it is only a short trip for them to realize that they didn't learn about it earlier was because their teachers thought it was dirty. And humans are very, very suggestible, Yamcha. And the fact is, from this teaching that sex is dirty, far too many men and women think sex is still dirty. But it goes farther then that. Because they think sex is dirty, men begin to associate it with dirt itself, and they degrade women to match. The end result is far too many men are inadvertantly raised to think that women are inferior to men. It's ironic. In an attempt to keep children from learning about the whole "perverse" nature of their natural sex drive, parents and others actually wind up making that drive perverse. But don't ask me to figure out why humanity does that. We were granted the highest intelligence and ability to be individuals on this planet, and while a wonderful gift, it is also a terrible curse, for that allows us to produce the Hitlers and the Stalins and the Pol Pots and the Ted Bundys and the Bill Clintons."

Yamcha cocked his head slightly.

"I am getting off track, but the end result is that with this the opinion that what Chastity did was perverse is rendered rather moot. In the end, all of us are perverse in some way. But women often, far too often, underestimate just how powerful and driving this perverse sex drive is in males, and hence are constantly caught unaware of it. I do not think prostitution is evil or sinful. In fact, I believe it provides a much needed release for our society. I suspect if it was totally stopped, molestation and rape would go into the stratosphere. In the end, I think her experience as a prostitute was benificial to Chastity, because she now knows the nature of the male sex drive inside and out, perhaps even better then you do. To be perverse is not a bad thing. If you and your lover are willing, you can tie each other up or spank each other or do whatever floats your boat. Indeed, Chastity quickly gained a reputation for being willing to try almost anything."

Yamcha raised an eyebrow. He found he was doing that a lot.

"But she had some standards…and her main one is that she will not be disrepected. She will do anything if she chooses, indeed, it was her job, but if anyone tried to defy her when she decided to back down…they learned why she got the street name of Jalapeno. Despite this, she quickly began very popular. You probably know why. She was a quick learner in the area of physical pleasure, and over the years she's almost turned it into an art. At the same time, her friends in the business taught her how to defend herself from crazy patrons and the dangers of the streets. That's where she learned how to use a whip as a weapon. And along with all this, whenever she could find time, she developed her pyrokinesis talent. For the next eighteen months, she was quite a busy girl. Then the Change happened. You remember what that was, right?"

"Yeah."

"When Xaxargas came to Chastity, Chastity decided she wanted to have her knowledge of how to survive the streets and it's dangers honed to perfection, with the focus on her pyrokinensis. Xaxargas granted it, giving her knowledge of weaponry and hand to hand combat, and enhancing her pyrokinensis into a power that was far more and far greater then the ability to start fires with her mind. Now she can manipulate it as well…in a huge variety of ways. But at the same time, Xaxargas left his taint. In his idea of a cruel joke, Xaxargas crossed a few wires in Chastity's brain…and linked her flame powers to her pituatary gland. In other words, he made it so that every time she used her abilities…she began, how shall we say, aroused."

Yamcha's eyes widened slightly.

"This isn't as bad as it used to be. Over time, she's been able to temper her abilities and gain a greater mastery over them, to get a greater "bang for her buck" in more ways then one. But her brain is stuck like that, probably for the rest of her life. Now her nymphomania is not only of choice, but of neccessity. That is why she slept with you Yamcha. You were just relieving her urges brought on by the battle…and her boredom. That is all."

Yamcha could feel his ego shrinking to the size of a peanut. It was a rather humbling experience.

"Ouch." He said sheepishly.

"Indeed. The rest is incidental. With her new abilities, Chastity took leave of her friends and the streetwalker business. D-Man and her fellow "street sisters" were sorry to see her go, but they parted on good terms. And with that, Chastity became a mercenary and bounty hunter…or at least until she met us. She joined us, and the rest is history. Is that all you want to know?"

"Actually, it's more…but I'd like to know, what's your relationship to her. Are you one of her…conquests?"

Erik smirked.

"How fitting a word. But no. Chastity and I have never slept together. But she wanted to, once. Actually, it was on a dare. I don't know who put her up to it, but she took a bet that she could seduce me. And she tried. It didn't work though. It was actually pretty funny to watch, the way she was hanging all over me. Unfortunately, I don't go for that…I don't have a right to. Plus, she had caught me at a bad time, I had had a rather bad night. When I finally got angry and stopped being nice though, Chastity got even angrier, and launched into a torrid of insults about me, mostly about my supposed sexual failures. That didn't bother me, but her final comment that my life's mission was futile and pointless did. I almost killed the poor girl in one of my more shameful acts. I still feel bad about it. I should have recognized that Chastity had lost her temper and didn't mean what she said. But you know how reason flies out the window when you get mad."

"Tell me about it." Yamcha said, recalling how Gohan's innate sweetness and pacifistic nature had vanished in a rage of sadism and dreams of torment for Cell when he had gone SSJ2.

"In any case, I found her afterward and apologized, and surprisingly, she did likewise. We became good friends out of the incident, mostly because we could see parts of ourselves in each other in other ways then Chastity's desire. I'm glad I met her…and I do hope that someday she finds someone to love. Perhaps her inner demons died when she killed her father, but they won't be truly buried until that day. Who knows Yamcha, it may even be you. But I wouldn't count on it. That's just the way Chastity lives her life. It may seem strange to you, but believe me, it could be worse. I know. I've seen what once went on inside her skull. In a way, as I said, I'll know her better then you ever will Yamcha."

And with that, Erik got up and turned to leave. Yamcha stood up as well.  
"Hey wait a minute Erik. One more thing I thought you'd know. Before…it happened, she said something to me…baise-moi, I believe. What does that mean?" Yamcha said. Erik stopped and then turned around.

"Baise-moi?"

"Yeah, I think."

Erik was silent.

"As I said Yamcha…it could be worse."

"Worse? What?" Yamcha asked, confused. It was clear that whatever that meant, it disturbed Erik.

"I may not be a shrink, Yamcha, but I know how the human mind works. Chastity may claim and act on the surface the reasons I gave you for her promiscuity, even to herself…but when I met her, I saw the real reasons deep down. She was doing it because she thought that after being raised solely for the tool for a man, that she deserved nothing better. In her quest for relief, she was actually seeking oblivion from a painful past and her own buried feelings of shame. But not anymore. I made sure that once we became friends that she knew she was a truly great woman, a being that deserved to live, that deserved any happiness she got. It took a while, buit she took it to heart. It was the least I could do for her…I just wonder if I really did anything."

"But Erik, what does that have to do…?"

"Baise-moi is French, Yamcha. It can be translated two ways. "Fuck me"…or "rape me."

Yamcha was stunned. Erik looked depressed.

"A soul can tear so easily, and yet be so hard to repair…if it can ever be repaired. Don't let her tear your soul Yamcha."

Erik turned away from Yamcha, heading back down the hall.

"I have nothing else to say. I have to go look for Celeste."

And with that, Erik turned the corner, and when Yamcha followed him around it he was not surprised to see the dark warrior gone. Staring after him, a stray thought suddenly bubbled up in Yamcha's head as he thought of what Erik had told him…and one thing he had said.

__

Unfortunately I don't go for that…I don't have a right to…

"Was he saying…but why does he think he doesn't deserve…was it sex? Or love?"

The wind whistled briefly, causing the paper bag to dance for a short while in the air before it settled back down. Like the bag, the park was empty, the people as long gone as the food that had once been within the paper container.

Then the bag crumpled as a black boot came down on it, and then the park was silent again, as Celeste stood still, daggers in her hands and wary eyes glancing around her.

Spike had been running for a while, doing his best to get an advantage over her, but she had never stopped pressing her advance towards him, and thus Spike had had to keep running. Eventually, he had come to the edge of the city, which had tapered off into some suburb houses and little else.

Except this, the amusement park in which Celeste now stood. Whether it was closed for good, or just for repairs or something, Celeste did not know. But she knew that besides her, there wasn't a living soul in it. Only Spike, hiding somewhere in the shadows, but he was neither alive or in possession of a soul.

Celeste continued to stand still, her eyes searching for any movement, her ears pricked for any sound. It was strange how a place that would be so full of life and merriment with people during the day could become so eerie at night, with light and people gone. The Ferris wheel and the other large rides towered over her, moonlight illuminating them like the bones of huge monsters. Closed booths and food distributers surrounded her, swallowed in shadows like monsters waiting to pounce. Even the occasional wind gust whistling through the structures sounded like the faint cry of a hungry beast. The atmosphere was exceptionally dark and dangerous.

But in the end, it was just atmosphere. But within all this setting lurked a true monster, one who Celeste doubted was through trying to kill her. Spike hadn't run because he was scared. He had a plan. But if part of that plan was to lure her into a false sense of security, it wouldn't work.

There was a sudden sound, and Celeste turned her head, her waist length hair swirling around her, a perfect ebony that matched the night. She blinked as she looked at where the noise had come from, the darkened merry go round. But she saw nothing.

Then her eyes widened as the ride suddenly lit up with lights. As she brought her daggers up and to the ready, a generic melody began to play and the ride began to turn, the frozen beasts and carriages on it once again going the circular route they had gone so many times before. Celeste stared at the ride.

__

A trap? No…too obvious…he must be trying to get my attention…hmmm…ok, I'll call his bluff.

Her senses at full alert, Celeste slowly started towards the ride, trying to look every way at once. Strangely, she reached the ride unscatched. Glancing around her, Celeste took a chance and hopped onto the ride.

The world began to slowly swirl around her, as Celeste made her way through the wooden horses. She was beginning to feel uneasy. Spike could think if he chose, but he was also very impatient. The fact that he hadn't attacked yet either meant something was wrong, or she hadn't given him enough credit.

Peering into every remaining shadow, Celeste eventually found herself back where she started. Her sense of unease now higher then ever, Celeste glanced over at the circuit box that started the ride and made her way over to it. The door had been wrenched off, showing that while Spike's gloves may have been damaged, they apparently hadn't completely stopped functioning.

Celeste stared at the box.

Then she snapped her head to the side as the sword stabbed by her ear and slammed into the box. The merry go round froze, the lights somehow staying on while the music and motion stopped, as Celeste half spun and slammed her leg up and out, smashing Spike in the face and causing him to go reeling back.

"HOW…the hell did you see me?" Spike cursed. Celeste smirked.

"I can see beyond my eyes and ears Spike. Maybe not too well, but enough to know when someone is trying to sneak up behind me. Clever, circling behind me after you turned on this ride. Not clever enough though."

Spike roared and leapt at Celeste, but Celeste dodged and Spike buried his fist in the wooden center of the roundhouse. Celeste thrust out her elbow and Spike staggered again as it slammed into the side of his head. Snarling, his human features once again contorting into the look of a savage beast, Spike yanked his sword from the wall and swung at Celeste, but she deflected the blow off her daggers and his sword sliced through the top part of one of the poles holding the horses in place. Celeste countered with a punch, but Spike was starting to adapt to her style and shrugged it off, countering with his own and sending Celeste backwards several feet before she fell onto the ground. Spike lifted his sword above his head and brought it down, but Celeste rolled out of the way and it smashed into the ground. Spike yanked it out and swung low at the woman, but she leapt up to avoid it and Spike only severed the bottom half of the same pole he had slashed seconds earlier. As the horse statue that had delighted many a child was cut loose and began to fall, Celeste spun and kicked it, throwing it at Spike. Spike could only yell as the horse struck him and he went backwards into the middle of the merry go round, sandwitched between the two. With a curse in some language Celeste didn't understand, Spike threw the horse aside and brought his sword up again, swinging at Celeste. She backflipped away from his swipe and his subsequent three other slices, moving off the damaged ride in the process. Spike switched styles and tried an upward swing instead of his downward ones, but Celeste blocked with her daggers and then twirled around him, leaping in a circle and slamming her foot across the back of Spike's head. Spike stumbled forward, dropping his sword, and Celeste leapt at him, aiming her dagger at his throat.

Then Spike whirled and brought up his hands, grabbing Celeste in mid-move, and with a scream of rage he spun and hurled her through the air, sending her crashing into a pile of wooden boxes thirty feet away. Spike smirked and picked up his sword, running towards Celeste as she pulled herself from the broken and shattered boxes.

The trip had hurt her, but she hadn't lost her daggers, and as Spike swung wide at her she brought her right hand up and slashed it across his cheek. Spike yelled as he felt the sharp blade bite through his skin, and as he felt his own blood begin to run down his cheek, his anger finally exploded. Putting everything he had into it, he backhanded Celeste, sending her crashing through more boxes in a shower of splinters and sawdust. Celeste leapt to her feet, only to find Spike immediately in her face as he slammed her with an angled uppercut, flinging her head over heels. But in mid-flip, she regained control and thrust her legs out, smashing Spike in the chest with a double-leg mid-air thrust kick. This time Spike took the tumble through the boxes, more wood shattering as he did. Celeste pounced, only to get a foot in the gut as Spike thrust his leg behind him and then spun on his hands, smashing his leg against the side of Celeste's head and sending her airborne again. However, all the boxes had been destroyed by this time, so she had no new ones to obliterate.

Flipping to his feet, Spike raised her sword and charged again, but Celeste backflipped and leapt away, landing on a nearby platform. Spike smirked and leapt after her, grateful his boots were still 100 percent. Behind him was left a field of shattered wood and debris, pieces of ruined boxes pointing to the sky like accusing fingers blaming God for their destruction.

Celeste glanced behind her to see the massive white and red structure of the Ferris Wheel towering over her. Apparently she on the operating platform.

Unfortunately, so was Spike.

"Ready to give up yet?" Celeste said, and a part of her meant it. The long battle with Spike had almost exhausted her, even with her refrain from using her energy abilities. Spike certainly didn't look fresh, but she had no idea what the endurance limits of a vampire were. But after all she'd thrown at him, they were certainly high.

"Shut up and die." Spike shot back, and swung his sword at her. Celeste did another backflip, but instead of going all the way with it, she changed direction in mid-move and suddenly flew up and forward, leaping over Spike in a spinning forward leap. As she spun, she thrust her legs out behind her and slammed both her feet into Spike, once again sending him stumbling forward with a curse as she hit the ground and sommersaulted to break her fall.

Turning around just as Celeste got to her feet, Spike faked a charge. Celeste fell for it, and her eyes widened as he suddenly threw back his arm and hurled his sword at her chest.

Then she fell into a full 180-degree split and Spike's sword sailed over her head, lodging itself in the control panel for the Ferris Wheel. Spike looked at Celeste with a mixture of anger and exhasperation.

"Why can't you just be a good girl and DIE!?!"

"It's not in my contract." Celeste shot back.

Then with a series of loud clacking noises, the Ferris Wheel suddenly lit up with light. The sudden surge of brightness blinded Spike, as the wheel began to turn. Apparently his sword had somehow triggered the starting mechanism.

And it had also allowed Celeste to get the jump on him, as Spike's sight came back to find her right in his face.

Then her fist smashed into his face again, and he stumbled as Celeste kicked him in the gut and then spin kicked him on the side of his head again. Cursing yet again, Spike leapt over a spinning low kick and met Celeste as she spun up with a right hook. Grabbing the front of her outfit, Spike lifted Celeste over his head and slammed her down on the ground behind him. He raised his foot to stomp on her, but she caught it and shoved him away, twirling to her feet. But Spike had seen the move before and as Celeste got to her feet, he leapt and spun, nailing her in the chest with a reverse high angle thrust kick, sending her flying and then tumbling backwards across the platform. Spike thrust out his hand and his sword yanked out of the control panel and flew into it. As the Ferris Wheel continued to turn, Spike charged at Celeste and swung at her body, but Celeste once again dodged by blackflipping to her feet and then leaping backwards into the air in a continuous reverse sommersault, landing in one of the Ferris Wheel cars.

Spike grimaced.

"GET DOWN HERE!" he yelled, and leapt after Celeste, barely making it up onto the car's edge. He swayed, trying to get his balance, and then he had no choice but to leap again as Celeste slashed at his legs. He landed awkwardly behind the girl, the car barely big enough to hold both of them standing up. He turned around and was met with another punch to his face, a second to his gut, and then a backhand across his forehead. Spike brought his sword up and swung, but Celeste twisted her body backwards Matrix-style and the blade whistled over her. Spike heard a slight humming and then black energy exploded on Celeste's right hand as she began to flip back up, and Spike realize she was going for a point-blank blast.

"RAVEN'S…"

"BYE!" Spike yelled as he leapt backwards, flipping and landing on the car above him as Celeste completed her yell and thrust her hand forward, sending the black energy blast off into empty air. Looking angry, Celeste looked up at Spike and then suddenly leapt up after him, kicking at him in mid-leap. Spike dodged backwards into the car, and Celeste landed on the edge. This time, Spike was the one to slash at her legs, but the car had traveled to the mid-point of the Ferris Wheel and Celeste simply leapt again, sommersaulting backwards and up to the next car behind her. The black energy exploded on her hand again, and Spike's eyes widened.

"RAVEN'S BEAK!"

As the blast fired at him, Spike leapt upward in a desperation move. As his car exploded underneath him in a shower of charred wood and singed metal, Spike flew up above Celeste, having put so much strength into the leap that he went right past the car and over it. If Celeste had been fresh, she could have blown him out of the sky.

But she wasn't fresh, and her blast had dulled her reflexes. As she swung her head up, gravity finally took over and Spike dove at Celeste, his foot out.

His aim wasn't perfect, only glancing Celeste's face instead of hitting it dead on, but it was a powerful blow nonetheless, knocking Celeste backwards with a cry and giving Spike time to land and to set his legs, despite the cart's rocking as it reached the epex of the Ferris wheel. Celeste turned back towards Spike and Spike snapped his foot up, throwing Celeste backwards and almost knocking her out of the car. Hopping down into the car, Spike pistoned his fist out and smashed Celeste with a jab, then laced his fists together and smashed them across her face. Celeste was almost knocked out of the car again, her hand splaying out and one of her daggers flying out into the night sky before it tumbled down towards the ground. 

It landed on the control mechanism and sheered right through the device, completing Spike's accidental task and destroying it. With a sudden lurch, the Ferris wheel stopped, leaving Spike and Celeste under the moonlight at the very top of it.

And Spike was showing no mercy, as he thrust out his leg into Celeste's gut, doubling her over. Finally enjoying himself, Spike grabbed Celeste's sweaty hair and brought his knee up into her forehead. Celeste's head snapped back violently, and Spike reared back and pistoned his fist right between the girl's eyes.

And that was it, as the girl finally crumpled at his feet. Spike took a long, deep breath and let it out as a smile broke out on his face. His features slid back to normal as he reached down and grabbed the back of Celeste's outfit with one hand, his sword clenched in the other. After all she had put him through, the first thing he was going to do was rip out her mocking tongue.

"You impressed me girl. You're as good as the Slayer, maybe even better, but that also mean you've caused me a great deal of grief. So much, that I think that after I kill you, I'll go back and kill your damn boyfriend. Screw what Vagane wants, that's what I want. I wonder if he'll be more of a challenge to kill…"

Then Spike felt it, as all of Celeste's muscles went rigid, and he realized that he had said the wrong thing.

Then Celeste's head snapped up, her eyes blazing with fury, and Spike realized he had said the MOTHER of all wrong things.

Then Spike felt the incredible impact slam into his face as Celeste hit him. Stars exploded in his vision as he reeled back, unable to believe it. The girl had punched him plenty of times, but nowhere near this hard. Hell, Spike didn't know if he'd EVER been hit that hard.

And then, screaming, Celeste hit him again, this time with a hook to the face. The stars became even brighter as Celeste screamed her rage and smashed him again, causing him to stumble and nearly fall out of the car. Spike shook his head and tried to fight back, but then Celeste brought her knee up in between his legs and he gasped as his eyes went wide. He tried to slash at her, but Celeste caught the sword with one hand. Blood began to flow down her arm as the blade bit into her palm and fingers, but Celeste appeared to be beyond caring as she yanked the sword out of Spike's hand and raised it above her head before she slammed it down over her knee, snapping the reinforced blade in half. Spike's eyes widened even more as Celeste broke his weapon like it was made of fiberglass, and then the look was wiped off his face as Celeste brought the remaining blade back and slammed it flat-first across his face, half hitting Spike and half throwing the ruined weapon away.

Spike staggered again, and then Celeste's fist slammed across his face again, blood from her palm splattering across his cheek. But Spike could take no enjoyment in it as Celeste immediately smashed her other hand across his face, causing it to snap violently in the other direction. Then Celeste hit him again and his head snapped back the other way, and then back the other way as Celeste hammered Spike with the hardest punches he had ever felt. He couldn't get his senses or even defend himself from the furious assault as Celeste smashed him back and forth with blows, his legs swaying underneath him as he struggled to keep from crumpling like Celeste seemingly had before Spike relit her fire. And this time, it had grown into an inferno.

And then, suddenly, the blows stopped. Swaying on his feet, his vision blurred and with blackness creeping in the sides of his eyes, Spike looked at Celeste, her outfit scuffed, dirty, and ripped. Blood leaking from her nose, the right corner of her mouth, and the left corner of her left eye, her hair a bloody mess from a scalp wound. But her eyes were filled with fury, determination, and above all else…the desire to claim vengeance.

Retribution.

"You can insult me, you can hurt me, you can even try to kill me, but don't you _ever_ threaten _him."_ Celeste hissed.

And then she leapt up into the air, bringing her leg up and slamming the toe of her boot under Spike's chin with every ounce of strength she had. The sommersault flip kick sent Spike flying into the air. To Spike it was almost like slow motion, as the world began to spin around him as the impact caused him to start tumbling heads over heels even as he continued to fly up, everything turning upside down as he spun 180 degrees.

And then Celeste contorted her body and twisted the right way around as she spun in mid-air and thrust her leg out, smashing it right into the small of Spike's back in a mid-air thrust kick, sending Spike flying out into the air and away from the prone Ferris wheel.

Straight down towards the field of shattered wood.

Spike's eyes widened as he saw the debris field rapidly approaching, at all the parts of boxes sticking up into the air with dull but still cruel edges, at he plummeted straight down towards his doom. There was no way he could avoid getting one of those wood shards right through him. He was beyond all control to avoid it.

He screamed, a scream of defiance, fury, and for the first time in a long time, fear.

And then suddenly moonlight gleaned off a silver piece of metal as it suddenly flew from the shadows and lanced through the air towards Spike.

And then Spike screamed again, this time in agonizing pain, as the metal pole lanced right through his stomach and speared out through his back. The impact jerked him forward ten feet and suddenly he was clear of the wood field. But that mattered little to him as he slammed into the cold, packed earth in a bone-shattering impact.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! MOTHERFUCKING HORSE SHIT! BLOODY HELL!!!!!!!" Spike screamed to the heavens.

"It figures you would react this way, you indigant cur." Said a dry voice that was all too familiar to Spike, and he looked up, feeling his blood pour over his hands as he tried to get the pole out, as Adam slowly walked out of the shadows, his eyes filled with contempt.

"YOUR MOTHERFUCKING BASTARD!YOU THREW A FUCKING POLE THROUGH ME!" Spike screamed at Adam. Adam sighed.

"I saved your life, vampire. You would have surely perished on that field of wood if I hadn't knocked you away with that "fucking pole". But I did not expect gratitude from your idiotic kind. Just like I didn't expect you to succeed in your mission. And you claim to know brutality like the back of your hand. Idiot."

"JUST YOU WAIT UNTIL I GET BACK UP! I'LL SHOW YOU BRUTALITY!" Spike said, thrashing furiously to try and get the pole out with his one working arm. Adam glanced up at Celeste, who was standing on the car she had knocked Spike from, looking down on the events with obvious surprise.

"It appears I will have to clean up after you, Spike. If getting rid of her helps me with my destiny of creating the perfect race…girls, take this excuse for an ally and bring him back to Vagane to get him fixed. Otherwise I'll have to continue listening to his complaining."

From the shadows Adam had come from, two Valkyries emerged. Spike spat and tried to get at Adam, even as the women restrained him.

"You're going to regret saving me, you excuse for Frankenstein!" Spike cursed as one of the Valkyries pulled out an MRR and began programming it. Adam looked at Spike with contempt.

"I doubt it vampire. I didn't save you because I like you, or because we are somehow on the same team. I saved you because I want the pleasure of removing you from this existence, and believe me, I will know the joy of that yet!"

Before Spike could retort, there was a crackling noise and bright light surounded Spike and the two girls, and the next second they were gone. Adam continued looking at the spot for a second, and then turned to the Ferris Wheel.

"But for now…I will show just how superior I am to you and deal with that girl."

Celeste had slowly made her way down the Ferris Wheel by hopping from car to car, and as Adam slowly began to walk towards her, she took two quick steps and yanked her dagger from the control mechanism for the ride, slipping it back into it's sheath. With a leap, she jumped off the platform and landed, standing at alert as Adam stopped and returned her gaze.

Adam made a noise of half realization and half mockery. The girl's previous fight had exhausted her, a fact she was desperately trying to hide. It would not take him five minutes to dispose of her. He wondered if her insides would be different from that of a normal girl's, perhaps that would explain to him how she had taken abuse that would have killed a normal man ten times over.

A new wind whipped up, blowing Celeste's hair out in a wave of pure ebony as she and Adam stared each other down.

"And might I ask, who the hell are you?" Celeste asked, getting ready to whip out her daggers at the slightest sign of danger.

"I am Adam. I am a kinematically redudant, bio-mechanical demoniod. I am equiped with…"

"Enough, I gathered that from looking at you. So, you're a bunch of spare parts sewn together with some garish metal for kicks. Like Erik, except a lot uglier. Are you here to kill me too?"

"Unfortunately for you, yes. Your disrespect is not wise, considering how tired you are. I could always kill you before I take you apart…or I can kill you in the process of it. Yes, the latter sounds far more appealing now."

Celeste ground her teeth. Despite Adam's dry, alien voice, she could still hear the arrogance dripping from it. Adam cocked his head slightly.

"Ah. You are experiencing the human emotion known as anger. You think it will empower you. Even if it does, you have no chance girl. You stand before a god among beings. You should bow your head and pay homage to me."

Celeste's anger increased, her slim fingers coiling into fists. Screw her daggers. She would beat this egotistical jackass with her bare hands.

"You think I'm underneath you? Well, I'm gonna send you underneath me. Six feet underneath me!"

And with that Celeste charged at Adam. Adam stood still, a look of utter apathy on his face, as the girl covered the distance between them in a second and thrust her fist out, slamming it into his chest against the steel stitches that connected two parts of his torso.

Celeste gasped as the shovewave of pain ran all the way up her arm to her shoulder. It was like hitting a steel wall. Adam cocked his head, then reached down and grabbed Celeste's wrist in a grip of steel, yanking her arm above him and pulling him up with a cry of pain, her tiptoes barely touching the ground.

"Your bad use of tauting will not empower you either. Now tell me, how much blood do you have in your body? No matter, I'll find out."

The sharpened stake of bone burst out of Adam's left forearm, and he raised it, wondering what to cut off first.

Then Celeste leapt up and thrust her legs out, slamming them against Adam's chest and breaking his grip. Flipping down to the ground, Celeste ducked under one of Adam's slashes, feeling the skewer whistle over her head. She couldn't believe Adam's speed. Considering his bulk, he should have been slower then Spike, but he seemed even faster.

Snapping her body up, Celeste smashed twin punches into Adam's chest, ignoring the pain as she twirled into a roundhouse thrust kick, a backhand to his face, and an uppercut under his chin.

Adam didn't even move, as if she had never hit him. Instead, he chuckled, a wry sound.

"Is that your best, girl? That might have staggered Spike, but he's just a vampire. I am far far more. I don't think you even possess the power to take me off my feet…"

Adam's yakking proved his downfall, as Celeste suddenly leapt upward, swinging her leg at the side of Adam's head. Adam saw it coming, and stopped talking, but did nothing else. The woman was aiming for the metal side of his head, and would only break her leg in the process.

Then his eyes widened as he felt her foot swing over his head. The girl had missed. On purpose.

And then Celeste brought up her other leg and planted it into Adam's neck as she twisted in mid-air, slamming her original swung leg down on the other side of Adam's neck. With Adam's head clamped between her ankles, Celese used every ounce of strength and momentum she had and yanked. Adam suddenly found himself airborne as the leg lock threw him off his feet and turned him upside down in mid-air, slamming him headfirst into the ground in a small cloud of dust.

Celeste hit the ground a second after and was immediately in motion, flipping to her feet and then leaping backward forty feet up into the air towards the Ferris Wheel. She grabbed the metal structure and then steadied herself on it as Adam began to get to his feet. Celeste thrust her hands down, gathering her power. Dark energy exploded on both her hands as she called for more power, even as it hurt her to do it.

Adam was starting to look up at her.

Celeste thrust out her hands.

"MERCILESS NOVA!"

And the black energy bolts began to spray from her hands, spears of destructive power aimed straight at the monster hybrid before her. Adam saw the first one just as it was bearing down on him and then it struck him with a loud boom, smoke and dust exploding up from the ground from the energy's impact. More bolts spiralled into the smoke and struck as well in a series of loud noises as the smoke cloud grew bigger and bigger.

Celeste kept firing, the bolts of energy pouring from her hands like a raging river of power as the cloud of dust and smoke billowed out and swallowed the stands and booths around Adam.

But eventually, Celeste had to stop, leaning on the metal structure, drawing in deep gasps of air, trying to slow her pounding heart. She felt like she had just run five miles for thirty seconds of effort. Sweat ran into her eyes, and she wiped at them, trying to get rid of the stinging.

"Still think I'm so pathetic, Adam?"

And then the smoke cleared. Celeste's eyes widened.

Stepping up out of the crator she had made, Adam looked up at Celeste without amusement. Besides a slight darkening on the side of his head that looked human, he didn't have a scratch on him. He looked back at the ten foot crator behind him and then up and Celeste, sneering.

"Is that your best?" he mocked. "Let me show you how to throw energy!"

And then Adam thrust out his right arm as metal extensions shot from the armoured parts of his forearm and contorted around his hand, snapping and shaping it into a silver barrel-shaped extension. Finally, four prongs shot up near his elbow, and then twisted over and snapped back into Adam's arm, as he brought it up and gripped it with his other arm as he aimed at Celeste.

Celeste's eyes widened as a high-pitched humming filled the air and bright light suddenly blinked into life inside the barrel as Adam aimed his large-bore plasma cannon at Celeste.

Celeste summoned all her power and leapt forward.

And Adam fired, sending a white bolt at where Celeste had just been, and a massive explosion shook the amusement park as the whole Ferris wheel exploded in a hail of raining metal and burning shrapnal. The explosion missed Celeste, but the shockwave slapped her like a giant hand and sending her flying into the distance. Burning wreckage and sizzling metal parts rained down on Adam, but he calmly turned and walked away as it rained down around him. He was not concerned. Such trife material could not harm a god.

And Celeste landed, rolling and winding up on her back, her attempt to absorb the impact properly failing. Celeste's spine twisted in a process and she screamed, but thankfully it didn't snap. Blood ran from a new cut on her forehead, flowing into her eye in a stinging stream. Her body exhausted and racked with pain, Celeste tried to get to her feet as Adam approached her, a slight smirk adorning his face.

Erik, much to his annoyance, found himself getting a little irritated with Celeste. Even with his dislike of new people, she should have managed to swallow her fear enough to come out and at least try to find him. But she hadn't, and even with Buu's help, he hadn't been able to find her. Bulma was trying to locate where Vagane might be, and he needed to have her prepped and ready to leave at a moment's notice. They would need every man they had to take down Goku, especially if Vagane was giving him even more advantages.

__

Damn it Celeste! This is…not surprising. God, I'm an idiot, after what she's been through…after what I did to her. It's a miracle she's not a drooling idiot, or totally insane, or trying to hunt me down like I always am with Agony. She held her faith…all this time…what right have I…

And then Erik glanced into one of the rooms and he stopped dead, turning and going into the large room, looking around at the damage to the walls and floor, and the smashed window at one end. He had been here before, but Celeste had obviously still wanted her privacy. But something else had gotten in.

"Oh dear god."

Celeste saw the shadow fall over her, and although her arms felt like lead and her legs felt like jelly, she forced herself to her feet, glaring at Adam, who looked back contemptuously. Her hands went into a blur of motion as she whipped out her twin daggers. Someone had sewn Adam together from a bunch of other parts, and Celeste was planning to take them apart again.

Adam did not make any acknowledgement that Celeste had drawn her weapons, instead continuing to walk towards her with a slow, calm step. Her anger boiling in her, Celeste took two quick steps forward and stabbed her right hand at Adam's face. To any human, he/she would have just seen a black blur before Celeste's dagger would have pierced their brain.

Adam snapped his head to the side, the dagger slicing past his lone ear.

"Pathetic."

Celeste was immediately going into her next move, snapping up her leg in a spinning hook kick, but Adam was even faster, bringing up his left arm and intercepting her leg. Once again, Celeste felt like she was kicking steel, but she didn't let up as she went into a fury of slashes and kicks. Adam, almost in a bored way, dodged and blocked everything she did. She couldn't even cut him, as he used the parrts of him shielded with metal to block. _How the hell can someone as bulky as him be so goddamn fast!_ Celeste thought inwardly, as she stabbed her dagger at the disc drive in his chest.

Then she felt as if steel itself had wrapped around her fingers as Adam reached up and grabbed her hand, the massive brownish-pink fingers closing over her slim hand, stopping the blow dead and elliciting a gasp from Celeste from the sudden pain.

"Uh uh. That's expensive." Adam said dryly, and began to squeeze, throughly enjoying the feeling as he felt the woman's bones begin to break under his grasp. Celeste screamed, the pain lancing down her entire arm as she felt her fingers being crushed. Her dagger fell from useless fingers. 

Trying to see past the pain, Celeste brought up her other hand and slammed it into Adam's forehead. Adam didn't even blink as he reached up and grabbed her other arm.

"I've got a hard head. Let me show you." Adam remarked, and then thrust it forward, slamming his head against Celeste's in a clanging headbutt. Celeste reeled as blood exploded from her nose as Adam let her go. Clutching her badly broken hand, Celeste shook her head and then hurled her other dagger at the hybrid.

Adam reached up and caught it. He brought it down and looked at it, and then tossed it aside.

"Care to try again?"

Gritting her teeth, Celeste thrust up her hands and began to call apon her power again, but then Adam suddenly took two giant steps forward and slammed his fist across her face. Bright lights exploded behind her eyes as Celeste flew backwards, crashing into one of the booths that had once held a game for boys to impress their loves and for kids to win cheap toys. The fragile wooden structure collasped on her, burying her in a makeshift grave.

Adam walked calmly towards the rubble. He knew exactly how many tricks the girl had and that she was just about out of them. He stepped up on the wood.

And Celeste exploded up from under it, the air filling with splinters and shards of wood as she reared up and tried to kick Adam. Adam blocked the forward snap kick and thrust his palm into Celeste's sternum, sending her staggering back. But she immediately leapt to attack him, but Adam easily dodged both her punches and sent his own fist pistoning into her face. Celeste staggered back again, then spat blood as her body spun, bringing up her leg in a roundhouse spin kick.

But Adam was ready, and as Celeste swung her leg at him, he brought up his left arm as the sharp skewer of hardened bone shot from it, and moved it forward into Celeste's kick, ramming the forearm spear right through the meat of her calf.

Celeste screamed, feeling the blood began to pour down her leg. She dangled awkwardly, trying to get her leg off Adam's arm. Adam smirked, then reached over and grabbed Celeste by the front of her outfit.

And then with a mighty heave, Adam twisted and hurled Celeste through the air, her leg ripping off of his forearm skewer in a gout of blood as Adam tossed her aside. Celeste tumbled through the air and then smashed into the merry go round, which Adam had hurled her at. The whole ride shook as Celeste crashed right through the wooden center and hit the ground on the other side, bouncing along the ground like a flat stone on a pond, The merry go round shuddered once more and then sagged to the side, the ride on the brink of collaspe.

Struggling not to black out, Celeste opened her mouth as blood flowed out from within her, spraying from her mouth and soaking into the cold, dark, indignant earth. Adam watched with interest as he headed slowly towards her. Just another weakness in her human body structure.

"And I actually considered for half a second that you might provide a challenge. You're just like the Slayer. Legendary in statue and nothing in person. How disappointing." Adam said, as he came to Celeste's side. The girl was in so much pain she hadn't been able to get up.

Adam added to the pain, lashing out and kicking her in the rib cage. Celeste flew several more feet and then tried to flip to her feet in mid-air. But her left leg was too damaged and it gave out, throwing her to her hands and knees.

"At last you're bowing to me. I knew it was only a matter of time." Adam said as he walked up to Celeste. She looked up to him with defiant eyes, but he quickly changed that look as he smashed his fist into her face again. Celeste's head snapped back violently again, and then Adam spun and sidekicked her, sending her flying a dozen more feet, her outfit filthy with carnival dirt.

Adam began approaching again, even slower this time, as Celeste struggled to stand upright again. She made it, but barely, her left leg shaking violently as she looked at Adam as he walked up to her. Despite her pain, she refused to be beaten, throwing another punch at his face.

Adam caught the arm, twisted it, and brought his elbow down on it, snapping the bone in two. Celeste screamed, but that scream was cut off as Adam backhanded her, blood spraying onto the ground from her wounded face. Her legs gave out on her again, and Celeste collasped. With a noise of disgust, Adam reached down and yanked her up by her hair.

"Now…are you ready to admit that you are nothing before a god? Say so and I may kill you rather painlessly."

The blood-soaked saliva splattered on his cheek as Celeste spat on him, and then she snapped her right leg up with all the strength she had left, slamming it right between his legs.

Adam didn't react at all, and Celeste's eyes widened as Adam distastefully wiped her saliva off.

"Sorry. That might have worked on Spike, but I was built to make sure I would have no such weakness. You are as stubborn and as defiant as the Slayer. She wouldn't recognize true greatness either. So you shall suffer her destined fate as well."

Then Adam reared back and slammed his fist into Celeste's face, feeling her nose break with saitisfaction as she stumbled backwards and struck the wall of the building behind her. Her head hit the stone violently, and she slid into a half crouch, trying to brace herself on the cold stone. The building appeared to be a structure that would hold a circus of some sort when the park was open.

Mechanisms whirred as Adam's hand once again transformed itself into his plasma cannon. Adam took his time, charging a full power shot as the girl lay there, trying to get up repeatly and failing, her body too damaged and exhausted. Her eyes were full of fear and sorrow, but the look of defiance never left them.

"You are not worthy to survive in this world, much less the one I am going to create. As the higher being, I pass sentence. You shall die." Adam said, bringing up the cannon arm.

And then the last thing Adam had expected to happen, happened. Hell, even in his greatest calculations he hadn't expected a small midget-like man who looked like what humans called a clown or a mime to suddenly pop up in front of him from behind.

"BIG BULLY! TAKE THIS!" Chaozu said, bringing up his hands, fingers spread wide, and holding them in front of his face. "SOLAR FLARE!"

And then an incredibly bright light exploded from Chaozu's hands and lanced into Adam's eyes. Even Adam, for all his enhancements and modified body parts, the light was blinding, utterly consuming his vision in a field of white. Even he couldn't resist the automatic reaction of his body as he raised up his arms and clamped them over his eyes with a yell.

His cannon, a second before ready to fire at Celeste, suddenly found itself pointing skyward as Adam instinctively brought his arms up to cover his eyes. Unable to stop, the cannon fired, shooting the white bolt of destructive energy off into the sky and into space, like a reversed shooting star. Adam was beyond caring as he shook his head, trying to clear his vision from the insanely strong flash of brillance that had managed to blind even him.

Celeste wasn't sure what happened. She had been despairing that she wasn't ready to die yet, and then there had been a blur of motion, a quick sound, and then an incredibly bright light. And then there had been a sense of motion that wasn't caused by her. Celeste thought she was flying again, perhaps from another explosion, but the strange way of moving quickly made her realize she was being carried.

Then it stopped, and Celeste shook her head as her vision cleared.

"Celeste?" came a concerned male voice. It was one Celeste knew all too well.

"Erik." She said, trying to smile at her savior. Then a coughing fit seized her, and more blood spilled from her mouth.

"Is she alright?" came a new voice, and then a strange face peeked at her from over Erik's shoulder. Celeste thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. Had Erik been brought here by a mime?

Erik looked down at Celeste's ravaged body, his mechanical eye scanning every aspect of her. _My god…she needs help, and fast._

"She's badly hurt, but she'll live. But she needs help, and fast. Take her back to Capsole Corp ASAP! She needs Diana and Christine's help." Erik said, trying to hand Celeste's prone body to Chaozu. Despite his size, Chaozu was deceptively strong. The short little mime-like man had been the first Z Fighter Erik had been able to locate after he realized that Celeste was gone, and the clown-like being had been able to easily carry him the whole way.

He hadn't been hard to find Celeste. Erik had simply followed the path of destruction, propelled by a sixth sense and link he had with the young woman who had choosen to run beside him in his chosen destiny. Even so, he hadn't expected her to find her in such bad shape. Within him, the anger began to burn.

"Wait…"

Erik and Chaozu looked down at Celeste in confusion as she grabbed Erik's arm as he tried to hand her to Chaozu.

"I'm not going…I have a score to settle with that bas…"

"No Celeste. You've had it." Erik replied.

"No…I can go on…"

"No, you can't. You've exhausted yourself and that monster took advantage of it. Remember what I told you about bravery and foolishness? You're being foolish now Celeste. You're going. I'm not going to let that bastard hurt you any more."

Celeste blinked, and then let go as Erik handed her to Chaozu, who took the young woman carefully, using his ESP to help.

"Get her back to Capsole Corp. I'm going to deal with that creature."

And then, suddenly, Celeste reached out and grabbed Erik's arm again. Erik looked down at Celeste.

"His name…is Adam…Erik, put him six feet under for me. Or I'll crawl back here and kick both your asses!"

Erik smirked bitterly, and that was all the reply Celeste needed. With that, Chaozu turned and flew off, carrying Celeste with him.

Erik looked after them, then turned and looked down on Adam from where he was perched on a roof of the nearby building. Adam was just about recovered from the blinding attack done by Chaozu as a distraction, and he looked back at Erik. He did not look happy.

Adam looked with distaste at the dark-haired man perched on the nearby building, the last of the flashing dots finally fading from his eyes. The circus structure had been close to one of the park's exits, and Erik was standing on the closest buildindg to that exit, a squat three-story brick structure that had been dulled by years of wear and tear.

And then Erik leapt off the building, falling the thirty of so feet and landing without a hitch. Erik straightened up, now roughly twenty feet from Adam.

"So. The Failure comes to save his apprentice. I should have expected it. How appalling Grimm."

"You don't know the meaning of the word grim, Adam. But I'll show you." Erik said in a hissing snarl. Adam cocked his head.

"Oh, I am supposed to be afraid of you? Am I supposed to fear your retribution for what I did to that girl who you hold such a special feeling for?"

Erik's eyebrows raised. _What…how did he know…that's impossible! It's my…_

"Oh please. Do not look so confused on how I have this knowledge. It's coming off of you in waves! It's sickening. You, a product of Dr. Vagane, the only mind I have ever seen that even has a chance of being my equal, though it is not. You could actually be a being worthy of survival. But no, you allow yourself to be dragged down by a mere _emotion._" Adam spat, saying the last part like it was the dirtiest of words.

Erik could feel his anger building. Adam's sheer arrogance was utterly unbelieveable.

"But you think that emotion will make you powerful. But you have no idea of what power is, Failure. Do not think that what Vagane did to you is any exception! The only reason you became what you became is because your family decided to vacation in the mountains. Had you not come along, Vagane would have found someone else! But I…I came into existence with power. You were just a child who was changed into something that should have been far superior, but instead choose to be a failure. You were modified to kill, Failure. I was created to extinguish unworthy life. In the end, that makes you only human, and myself something far far more."

That did it. Erik's rage exploded through him, his blood heating in his veins and his muscles clenching. His hands began to curl into fists. His disbelief with Adam had increased ten-fold. The hybrid creature thought he was a god among beings, and would surely express that belief orally soon, Erik was sure of it.

The thought of Adam's sheer egotism when it came to matters of life and death also infuriated Erik. Adam may have thought that Vagane's mind was not as advanced as his, but they thought the same way.

"Only human?" Erik hissed. "You forget something Adam. I may be human, but humans are the most vicious, merciless, dangerous creatures on this planet, and I think it is time that you relearn _just why that is!"_

Adam blinked as Erik thrust his hands down and let out a low snarl, and then the ground began to vibrate. It was slight at first, but eventually it began to rumble and shake as a field of rocks began to rise into the air. Adam cocked his head slightly as red lightning began to dance on Erik's frame.

"Please. You think imitating the warriors of this world is going to impress me? I know you don't possess as much power as them, indeed, this isn't all that hard to do."

Erik hadn't been bluffing when he'd begun to summon his power, but the fact that Adam had seen through the extra visual image of the ground shaking and the pebbles and other small chunks of material floating into the air from the force that was coming off of Erik disturbed him. Unlike the Z Warriors, who caused this to happen by the mere act of calling apon their strength, Erik had had to put some extra effort into causing that effect on the ground around him, and Adam had seen right through it. His awareness was utterly astounding.

But in the end, failed attempt to play mind games or not, Erik was ready to go. He could care less about Adam's opinions when he had the hybrid's head on his mantelpiece.

"Are we going to start soon?" Adam said, a tad bored. "I stay here only for the chance of amusement. I didn't get any with that girl of yours, indeed, the whole mission is rendered moot with her gone. But she'll be dead soon enough."

Erik's organic knuckles whitened.

"I'LL RIP YOUR HEAD OFF!" Erik screamed, and charged at Adam, running across the ground so fast his image would have just been a black blur to a passing human eye, as Erik lanced at the hybrid and brought his metal fist, encased in FS-X, shooting up at Adam's head.

Adam snapped his head back and Erik's fist whistled past the front of his nose. Erik boggled at Adam's speed, but he didn't stop, his failed attack already blurring into his next one as he allowed the momentum of his missed attack to carry him up, his legs sweeping up as he leapt up and sommersaulted backwards in mid air. Utilizing all of the momentum as he spun, Erik snapped his leg out and slammed it against the side of Adam's head.

The impact was jarring, to the point that Erik's leg was knocked away a full 180 degrees as he twisted his other leg down and landed safely, automatically set in a pose to leap forward. And Erik did just that, shoving forward off the ground, pistoning his fist forward right under Adam's chin in a one-two series of high-impact blows that would caved in a normal human's head before knocking it clean off.

Adam wasn't even stunned. Erik's eyes widened as he stepped back, looking at Adam's smirking face. His anger at his failure flared up again, and he leapt back as red energy exploded on his right hand.

"PIERCING STRIKE!" Erik yelled, as he whipped back his hand and hurled a palm-sized ball of red energy at Adam. It struck the hybrid dead-on on the chest, causing a small explosion of smoke.

Then it blew away, revealing two things.

One, Adam wasn't hurt. He wasn't even staggered.

Two, he was walking towards Erik.

Erik got even angrier and leapt back another several feet, charging another Piercing Strike blast and hurling it at Adam. It struck and exploded, and then the smoke blew to once again reveal Adam was unharmed and still walking forward. Erik leapt backwards and repeated the move again for the same result. Growling in his throat, Erik set his legs and brought his hands up in front of him.

"Burning…"

And then Adam leapt at Erik at incredible speed. Erik's eyes widened as the massive hybrid suddenly jumped at him like a grasshopper.

"YARGH!"

And then Adam slammed his fist into Erik's face, throwing the cyborg backwards. Erik bounced once off the ground and went spiralling back up and crashed through a wooden booth, smashing out the other end and crashing into a stand that had once sold really greasy fries and watered down soda. The stand collasped on him, burying him in wood.

Adam did not move, but once again mechanical noises filled the air as his plasma cannon snapped back over his right hand.

The wood exploded into the air as Erik blasted it off of him. Now he was really angry, and he turned burning eyes on Adam.

Then he saw the cannon charging, and his eyes widened.

The cannon fired, Adam's face in a wide smirk of saitisfaction.

And Erik threw up his right arm as the FS-X peeled aside as a device shot out and extended a clear film in front of him.

The blast struck the shield and Erik staggered before it, nearly tossed off his feet, and then he thrust his arm up and the cannon shot blasted off the shield and into the air. Erik looked back down on Adam.

"You know Adam, you look a tad anemic. I think you need something new in your diet…a little more IRON."

And with those words Erik snapped out his fingers and nearly two-feet long reinforced, razor sharp metal talons shot out from the FS-X as it fully peeled away from Erik's arm. Adam scoffed.

"What is it with you "heroes" and your apparent need to make terrible puns in the midst of battle? Why can't you just keep your mouth shut and be quiet?"

"Because if that was the way battle was fought, I couldn't delight in your soon to be emitted screams of agony!" Erik shot back, and charged at Adam, slashing his hand at Adam. Adam dodged and retaliated with a punch. Erik blocked it, feeling the impact run all the way up his arm. But he ignored it as he went into a series of punches, kicks, and slashes, Adam blocking and retaliating all the way as the two danced the dance of war.

Adam ran out of luck first.

His eyes widening in more surprise then pain, Adam looked down at the four long slashes across his right upper arm. Black blood slowly began leaking from the wounds.

"You…cut me."

"Well, DUH." Erik mocked, and slashed at Adam again.

Adam caught Erik's hand by the wrist. For the first time in the battle, and perhaps the first time in his life, he looked angry.

"I have experienced a revalation about myself. I DON'T LIKE BEING CUT!"

And then Adam seized Erik by the throat and hurled the warrior up and over his head. The darkened arcade was suddenly destroyed as Erik went crashing through it. Erik regained control in mid-flight and flipped to his feet.

Adam was on him immediately, apparently tired of his slow, arrogant approach. His hardened bone spear shot out of his forearm and he stabbed it at Erik's head. Erik snapped his head to the side and then snapped it the other way as Adam tried to stab him there. Adam comboed the stab into a wide slash, which Erik ducked under. He braced his weight on his hands and thrust both his legs into Adam's chest. Once again, Adam wasn't staggered, but it got his attention as he stabbed downward, barely missing Erik's left hand as Erik twisted away, spun and backhanded Adam with all his might.

Finally, Adam was visually affected by a blow as he was forced back a few steps. Erik leapt backwards and then leapt backwards and up, sommersaulting up onto one of the remaining game booths, bringing up his right hand, fingers spread and palm thrust up.

"Fear's Void…" Erik whispered as a ball of black energy, crackling with power, materilized above his hand and started to grow. Eventually it was about the size of a motorcycle, sizzling with ruinous energy.

Adam stared up at Erik.

And with a yell, Erik hurled the ball at Adam.

The amusement park shook, more wooden booths collasping under the surge of force that blasted off Erik's attack as it struck Adam and exploded. The one Erik was standing on collasped as well, and Erik leapt off of it as it fell, landing almost gracefully as the smoke cloud enveloped him. He stood, unmoving, waiting, as the cloud finally dispersed and blew away.

A low dry chuckle floated over to Erik as Adam was revealed, standing up from the thirty-foot long and four-foot deep crator Erik's blast had dug.

"Impressive. I think I almost got an itch." Adam said, brushing himself off as he stepped out of the crator. Once again, Erik and Adam stared each other down, twin warriors battling for the crown of night's ruler.

Then Erik yelled and charged at Adam, his hand talons snapping out again, and Adam set his stance as Erik atacked him again. Their limbs blurring, Erik and Adam went into a war of blows that might have even impressed the Z Fighters. So violent was their combat that even though no energy was being prepared, waves of force began coming off of the two, kicking up clouds of dust and tossing small pebbles through the air.

And then it ended as Erik suddenly reached forward and grabbed Adam by the shoulders, his fingers digging into the scarred, sewn together flesh, even as Adam did the same to Erik. Suddenly locked in a test of strength, Adam and Erik bore down on each other, neither gaining any ground and neither planning on giving any.

And then, Erik suddenly changed his grip and shoved his body upward from Adam's shoulders, and at the same time, he brought his right knee up as hard as he could, slamming it into Adam's chin.

Adam didn't flinch, and Erik's eyes widened. His knee would have gone right through concrete, and Adam wasn't even showing a bruise.

And then Adam, with another dry chuckle, suddenly gripped Erik's shoulders as hard as he could and raised the young man above his head. Erik's need to shift his hands to do the jumping knee thrust had all but eliminated his grip on Adam, and Adam took advantage of it as he held Erik above him.

"Let me show you how to do a leg blow!"

And then Adam let go of Erik, but at the same time he leapt upward, propelling his massive bulk upward as he snapped his leg up at a full 180 degree kick, slamming his foot into Erik's chest as he began to come down. The impact tossed Erik back up into the air like a marionette tumbling in the wind, and as Adam landed, his plasma cannon snapped into place over his arm and he aimed up, charging as much power as he could.

"Let's see him block this." Adam remarked to himself, and fired.

The bolt of energy flashed through the air and struck Erik, his frame disappearing to Adam's eyes as a brillant flash filled the sky and a tremendous boom rocked the ground. Adam brought up his hand to ward off the shock, then brought it down as he continued to look up.

And then Erik's body, smoking, crashed back to earth like a rag doll. Adam's eyebrow arched. The blast should have completely incinerated the boy, or at the very most left charred, ruined bones.

But as Adam looked at Erik, he smirked. The boy was neither moving nor breathing. His body was intact, but he life had been shattered none the less. He sighed as he watched the smoke wisp off of the corpse. He had expected better.

"Vagane will be pleased…he had better be…this should eliminate…"

And then Erik suddenly twisted and flipped to his feet. Adam's eyes widened.

"No…that's not possible!" Adam said, his voice filled with disbelief. He had seen the blast hit the boy. He hadn't been able to block or lessen the blow in any way. The shot should have torn the life from his body as easily as a human could step on an ant. How was he still alive?

Erik smiled, and as he did, blood suddenly spilled from within his mouth and ran down his chin, staining his teeth red. Despite the wound, he continued to smile. Adam realized that Erik had been playing possum.

"How did you survive such a blow? You should be dead!" Adam said, unable to shake his disbelief. What kind of forces could the boy possess to take a cannon shot and not be destroyed by it.

"You don't honestly think I was going to die so easily, did you Adam? Sorry to disappoint you. Oh wait, no I'm not." Erik, said, continuing to smirk with bloodstained teeth. Somehow, it made him look even more dangerous.

Adam's brow furrowed. Perhaps the boy would be a challenge after all.

"What are you expecting me to do? Give you a hand?" Adam sneered.

"No, but he deserves one. So I'll give both."

Adam's brow arched at the new female voice, and then a female dressed in white was suddenly at Erik's side. Erik glanced at her, looking surprised himself.

"Christine?"

"In the flesh, big bro." Christine said, and lifted up her arms and applauded. Giving Erik a hand.

"And you know what they say. Six hands are better then four." Came a new voice, and then Erik was flanked at his other side by Ash, his sword drawn and at the ready. Now Adam was starting to look displeased.

**__**

And hell, three dozen are better then six!

And then they were all there, as all the Legacy members seemed to come out of the metaphorical woodwork. Then there were whooshes of air, and Goten and Gohan dropped down next to Erik. They were quickly joined by half a dozen of the other Z Fighters, among them Chaozu. The little mime had come through, not only delivering Celeste but also bringing back backup.

"Guys…" Erik said, looking around at all the people who had come to help him. He looked at Chaozu. "Celeste?"

"She's ok. Which is more then I can say for you." Chaozu said, looking back at Adam. As if on cue, all the Z Fighters and Legacy members struck combat poses.

"Ok Ugly. You got two choices. Surrender, or OD on superheroes!" Ash said, bringing the Soulfire up.

Adam's features filled with distaste. He scoffed.

"I think not. I have grown tired of this pointless game. I am withdrawing my hand, I have more important things to pursue. Considering the fact that the destruction girl was my only chosen mission, I cannot believe I decided to stay and fight as long as I did. It is below me. But believe me, I will yet have the last word anyway."

And with that, Adam turned away. A crackling filled the air as bright light enveloped Adam, and then he was gone, teleported away.

Erik looked after Adam, his teeth grinding. Even after all he had seen, he couldn't believe Adam's arrogance. He hadn't detected any fear in Adam's voice at all. The hybrid had truly believed that if it had struck him, he could have destroyed them all by himself.

Erik was sorely disappointed that he hadn't gotten the chance to prove him wrong. Yet.

"This isn't over Adam. Not by a long shot." Erik said, his muscles finally relaxing. The Z Fighters and Warriors did likewise.

"Erik…you're hurt…" Christine said in a worried tone, heading over to her brother. Erik shooed her off.

"Just a few scratches. I'll live. I'm more worried about Celeste. How is she?"

"She was beat up pretty bad, but Chaozu got her back in time. She's stabalized, and my mom's helping her while all of us got together and headed back here with some of your friends. They're good people Erik. They were certainly eager to help you."

Erik almost smiled. Almost.

"Thank you all. Especially you Chaozu." Erik said, shaking the little man's hand.

"Glad to help out where I can." Chaozu replied.

"Well, that monster is gone. We may as well head back to Capsole Corp." said Gohan. There were murmured agreements.

"C'mon Erik. I'll carry you." Chaozu offered.

"No."

The conversation stopped as everyone looked at Erik. Immediately, the dark warrior looked apologetic.

"I appreciate it, all of you flying out here to help me…but I think I'd rather walk back. I have to do some thinking…some planning…I can do it easier that way. I know the way back. You guys go on ahead."

And with that, Erik turned and vanished into the shadows, leaving his teammates behind.

**__**

He has a funny way of showing gratitude.

"He's thankful Soulfire…but I think he's also a tad bit resentful. I think he wanted that monster for himself. And I feel bad for him if he's earned that much of Erik's wrath."

Erik was already a good distance away, walking out one of the ruined park's exits, his eyes dark. His eyes looked down on Celeste's daggers, which he had picked up on the way out. Erik stared at the twin blades.

__

He knew too much…I sense this was less an attempt at Celeste then an attack on me…Vagane, I don't know what you have planned but I swear you will not get away with it…nor will you ever hurt her…

"Hey Erik."

Erik glanced up as Goten suddenly dropped down beside him.

"Sorry, I know you wanted to be alone. But I have some ideas, and you said to share them as soon as possible…" Goten said. Erik cocked his head, then slowly but Celeste's daggers away.

"Very well Goten. You can walk with me. But make sure you can keep up."

And with that Erik moved on, once again vanishing into the shadows. Goten stared after him.

"Hey! Keep up? I'll have you know that I flew around the world fifty times in twenty minutes when I was a kid…!" Goten said, running after Erik.

Vagane was staring, as if mesmerized, at the screen, when the door opened and Adam walked in.

"Are you injured?" Vagane asked, not looking back.

"I think not. As if such pathetic attacks could hurt me, especially after the technology you allowed me to integrate into myself. I am invincible, a god among beings, and I only wish I could have shown that to those pathetic warriors. But that was not the task. Due to interference though, I was not able to kill the girl. It irks me."

"Do not worry Adam. She may live, but the desired effect was had. I now know just how much the Failure desires to protect her. I was somewhat surprised. Perhaps fate is trying to give him an act of kindness. I can't have that…"

Adam was silent, looking at the readings on the screen. Beyond them, horrid things were happening.

"Is that them?"

"Yes. Their growth is even faster then I anticipated. It will be soon Adam. Soon. Then you can prove your supremacy once and for all over those Z Warriors and that pathetic Legacy. Soon…but I must think of now. I have started on the Failure. Now I must turn it up."

The readings vanished, and Vagane began tapping at the keyboard.

"How is the vampire?"

"We have healed his wounds. I know you wish to kill him, but I ask that you hold off just a bit longer. He may yet have use for us. He will die soon enough. One way or another…I do not think he will be able to receive his promised gift."

Adam looked pleased.

"And what are you doing now?"

Vagane smiled.

"This world is full of human scum…I think that I will…thin the herd a bit…and at the same time I will lure the Failure in…him and all his allies…and deal with them once and for all." Vagane said, and began executing his programs, his eyes shining with evil glee.

"Grow, my children. Come so I can show you all that lies before you…all that you will consume…all that you will grant onto me! Come and realize your destiny, and mine! MWAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA! HA HA HA HA HA!"

__

To Be Continued!

Author's Note: Congradulations to Kazuya and Rivan for being the only two to successfully guess that the monsters the Legacy fought were based on an old Ghostbusters toy line.

If any of you didn't get the prank Lindsay played on Piccolo, basically, if what Lindsay tricked Piccolo into chanting is said correctly, the person sounds like they're saying "Oh, what an ass I am."

Now, I know that some of you might be displeased how the Z Warriors took somewhat of a backseat in this chapter. Don't worry though. The next chaper will focus more on them…and have plenty of trouble for them. I I do mean plenty. Because the next chapter is going to illustrate where this story gets its name. So if you ca, please leave a long review, and Nik Nak, if you don't get hopped up on Fanta and tell me what your favorite Spike lines were, I won't write the next chapter! MWAHAHHAHAHAHA!

Just kidding.


	4. Madman's Mind, Murderer's Soul

Chapter 4: Madman's Mind, Murderer's Soul

__

"The line between insanity and genius has always been success."
    
    "Pregnant?" Erik said.

Goten nodded solemnly.

"We found out two days before this whole mess started…about 12 hours before Vagane must have shown up. She's at almost two months…it's our first child."

Erik's heart was beginning to fill with sickness as new realizations came to him…and ideas of just what Vagane might be planning.

'Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"Because I made the same connection you're making right now. If Vagane took my wife because she's pregnant…that might mean he took Videl for the same reason. And seeing how this is news to you, I don't think either my brother or Videl knew she was pregnant…I couldn't bring that up in my brother's presense, not with Pan there. Because…because…"

Erik's jaw clenched. Could it be? Could Vagane…have taken…for that…?

"Erik, do you think it's true?"

"I don't know Goten…but if it's true…dear god…"Erik trailed off, unable to voice to Goten what torment Marron must be going through.

Goten saw it anyway.

"Erik…my wife…do you think…she'll be ok? I want you to be blunt, hid nothing. I can take it. I have to."

Erik looked at the hybrid, not wanting to say to Goten what he was sure of.

__

That girl survived Agony…

Only by sheer luck…

She's tough…incredibly tough…

And that won't mean jack shit. You tried to be tough. You know what Vagane did to you, what he's capable of doing…and just what he's doing to that girl. Tell Goten the truth.

Erik sighed.

"Goten…what Vagane is probably doing to her is beyond your comprehension to understand until you feel it. It's pain and violation beyond belief…it would make Agony proud. Vagane, like her, delights in the pain of the beings he considers his lessers. The truth is…I don't know how strong Marron and Videl are…but it will most likely kill them or drive them utterly insane. And even if it doesn't…once Vagane doesn't have any more of a use for them…he'll get rid of them."

Goten had gone as white as a sheet. He had expected it, but what Erik had said still shocked him to the very core.

"I'm so sorry Goten…it's my fault he came here…if you want to hate me, go ahead, if it will ease the pain…god knows I only deserve to be hated…"Erik said sadly.

"No." Goten said. "I won't hate you Erik. You didn't mean for any of this to happen. You tried to avoid it. But it happened. I don't know why fate chose to be so cruel…but it happened. We just have to rectify it. And I know that you will die to do that. And I thank you for it."

Erik felt shocked. He had underestimated Goten greatly, and reaching out, he took Goten's shoulder.

"Thank you…and I will do everything in my power to save her…I promise…I swear…by everything sacred to me."

Goten, despite himself, smiled slightly.

"And just might I ask…is sacred to you Erik?"

Erik blinked.

Then the FS-X peeled away from his arm as a section extended from it. Erik reached into the metal device and extracted something with a faint clinking noise.

"This. Them."

Goten looked at the pendant Erik was holding in his hand. It was coloured a dull gold, and looked to be at least ten years old. Erik carefully opened it and Goten looked inside.

The picture was dirty and battered, and it looked like if it was taken out of the sealed and airtight section of metal and glass that it was put it, it would immediately crumple into dust. Goten looked at the picture of the people, a man with black hair and a woman with blonde hair, in their thirties, smiling broadly for the camera. In front of them were three children. Two girls, one with blond hair and the other with black hair, looking to be about seven and five each. The smaller blonde had a big, toothy smile on her face, while the older black haired girl had a shy, serious smile.

And between them…a boy. With shortly cut black hair and eyes the colour of dark sapphires.

"Erik…is that…?"

"Yes. That's my family. It's the only picture I have of them. It was a miracle I found it…after all Vagane did to destroy the cottage where my family was. They are what is sacred to me…or rather, my revenge for them. I won't be able to truly look into their faces until Agony…is gone. But at the same time…I couldn't have looked into them after all the people Agony killed here. I could bring them back with my sacrifice…I couldn't do that with my family. But I know I can…but first, Vagane." Erik said, snapping the pendant shut and placing it back into his arm.

"Why don't you wear it around your neck?"

"Too risky. I could lose it in so many ways…and I'm not worthy to. Not after how I failed them. Come Goten, let us go on."

With that, Erik turned and ran, leaping from the roof he and Goten had been standing onto the next one. Goten stared after him, then flew off after the running warrior.

Vagane was greatly pleased. All the programs were run and triple-checked. It was time to carry them out.

"Ah…there's nothing like the sound of humans crying out in fear…it makes how pathetic and worthless their existence is truly obvious. Heh heh heh heh…HA HA HA HA HA!"

The outside of Vagane's laboratory could more precisely be called a fortress. It was composed of a dark material that somehow managed to resemble stone and metal at the same time. The design was simple and yet twisted, tunnels furrowing of of the main structure and twisting into the ground and surrouding cliffs, like evil parasitic roots that desired to suck the earth dry of life and beauty. Tall towers stabbed into the sky, paying homage to the evil castles where magicians terrorized the land of fantasy and fairy tales. Indeed, the whole structure seemed like a mammoth beast at rest, waiting for the time for it to awaken and find a world ripe and ready to be devoured.

And then, a small section of the gigantic lab slid open. The beast was not ready to devour the world, but it was ready to sample it.

Small robots flew out of the laboratory, spiralling up and heading off into different directions. The robots were all different in size, shape, and equipment, but they had all been built for the same reason.

To kill.

Vagane looked apon the large screen, the same screen that, a few hours ago, he had instructed Spike on how to try and kill a girl. Now he watched six different camera viewpoints as the robots flew off. There wasn't anything special happening yet, but soon…

Soon…

"Time to let the show begin. I do hope the Failure and his friends as watching. I think they will find it quite…explosive."

The Z Fighters and Legacy members had indeed arrived back at Capsole Corp, and once again found themselves with nothing to do. After hearing news that Celeste was fine, they had again scattered to their own amusements.

At the moment, Paul was watching a television he had found. Due to the differences in time zones, he had managed to find Leno on one of the channels.

"And today is the 314th anniversery of the signing of the Declaration of Independence." Leno said, to applause. Paul arched an eyebrow, even as Leno continued the joke. "Yes, it was the piece of paper that gave Americans their freedom, gave us the right to own weapons, etc etc. I hear there was this big celebration in some part of LA where African-Americans were celebrating how the Declaration opened up the door to the end of black slavery. And to this, Strom Thurmond responded. "We can't own slaves anymore? When did this happen? When did…"

Paul wasn't paying attention, and not just because the joke was terrible. He was puzzling things over in his head.

"Wait…this doesn't make sense…"

"What doesn't?" came Bulma's voice. Paul glanced up at the woman.

"Well…the timing on this is all wrong! In my world, it's only been about 275 years since the signing of that bill…and if if it happened later, Leno here doesn't look any older then he did in my world before the change!"

"Hmmmm…that is odd…perhaps not only do worlds change but timelines and events in history might too when you go between worlds…how strange…"

"Argh, I'm sorry I brought it up. I'll just watch TV."

"I wanna watch TV Puppetpals!" Lindsay crowed as she hopped over Paul and grabbed the remote.

"What? NO! I'm watching Leno!" Paul yelled, grabbing the controller back.

"Puppetpals!"

"Leno!"

"Puppetpals!"  
"Leno!"

And so the argument went as Paul and Lindsay fought over the TV. Bulma backed away, her eyes full of surprise.

"Are they always like this?" Bulma asked a passing William.

"Prithee, I would say so, m'lady."

The robot had been flying for a while, but only now had it reached its destination. It was located about forty miles north of Portland, Oregon, at the foot of a large town known as Water Dove.

It was known as Mount Saint Helens. It was an extinct volcano.

On May 18, 1980, Mount Saint Helens had erupted violently, taking 60 lives, including the one of one of the former president's of the United Sates, Harry Truman. But in the process, the volcano had seemingly burned itself out. In the time since, the 5,869 people of Water Dove had come to live there, secure that Mount Saint Helens was dead, and even if it wasn't, they would be warned in time to get away.

The robot flew around the base of the volcano, twin drills extracting from its front, and with an inaudible whirring, it began to drill into the extinct volcano.

It didn't take long to get there, as the robot broke through and entered a dark chamber, a sealed away cave. The heat within it was incredible, but the robot was not affected. It had been designed to take far higher extremes of heat.

And it would need them, as the robot flew low and began burrowing deeper.

Within the volcano, forces began to reawaken as the robot drilled through the rock. Eventually, it reached its goal. The drills withdrew and new extensions appeared, even as another one extracted from the top of the robot.

Down on the face of the mountain, a sleepy technician suddenly sat up as his computer began to beep. He yawned and looked at the computer, eyes filled with sleep.

Then it faded as his eyes snapped open. The heat within the volcano was going up.

The technician looked on in horror. He could't believe it. Now along with the heat, the pressure inside the volcano was rising, but at a far higher rate then possible. His eyes went wider and wider as Mount Saint Helens went from extinct to ready to explode within minutes.

But Vagane's robot didn't want an eruption, as it continued to focus specially designed lasers onto certain spots, even as it used a variation of Vagane's shield mechanism to keep the pressure from being released too soon.

Alarms began going off on the computer as readings began to appear on the screen. The technician was trying to decide who to call first when he saw them. He gasped, then abadonned all thoughts of calling anyone. He ran out of his small shack and got into his car, hands shaking as he started the engine and began driving down the road.

But it was too late for him. It was too late for anyone.

The force inside the volcano was reaching beyond the point where even the robot couldn't contain it. 

But that was ok. Its job was done.

With a push of a button, Vagane deactivated the shield.

The people of Waterdove were shocked out of sleep by a gigantic jolt of motion as the earth seemed to wrench under their feet, followed by an even bigger explosion. As the town of Water Dove shook, the technician looked in his rearview mirror in horror.

And then he screamed as his Jeep was tossed through the air and destroyed as Mount Saint Helens blew itself to oblivion in an explosion that was a thousand times more powerful then the hydrogen bomb explosion over Nagasaki. From the violent destruction had emerged a pyroclastic cloud, a superheated 200-foot wall of gases moving outward at over 300 miles per hour.

The people of Water Dove saw it coming. Some tried to flee. Some tried to hide. Others didn't do anything, knowing it was futile.

Then the gas cloud hit the down, having travelled down what had once been Mount Saint Helens in seconds. The town of Water Dove was smashed like gnats before a hurricane, buildings ripped apart like they were built of matchsticks and cars tossed off the ground and torn to pieces like wet tissue paper. The superheated gas cloud snuffed out every life in a quick display of burning torment as it flash-fried everyone, sucking the air from their lungs before it cooked them alive. For a brief second, the town was united in one huge scream of agony. Then they all died.

Vagane stared at the destruction in glee.

"That's it, die. Die like the scum you are….mwahahahahahahha! I love it…and it's just the beginning. This wasn't enough. Before I'm done, everyone around the globe will know the true meaning of survival, and how unworthy they are to have it! HAHAHAHAHAHHAHA!"

The robot flew over the large village, over 3000 strong, in the small nation of Cameroon in Africa. The village was remote, the people simple in their lifestyle and pleasures. They farmed and caught what they could. They meant no harm to anyone.

Unfortunately, Vagane did not feel the same way, as he directed his robot into the large lake the town surrounded. The lake harboured fish and water, and was essential to the villager's survival.

But it would also prove the key to their undoing, as the robot flew down to the bottom, and with one large drill, began digging into it. It didn't have to dig far.

Most of the villagers were eating supper or preparing for bed when the geyser erupted from the lake waters. For eons, pockets of earth had formed beneath the lake, and hundreds of small earthquakes had filled them with the volcanic gas hydrogen sulfate. Vagane's robot has finally released the pressure by tunneling into the largest pocket.

The gas was colourless.

It was scalding hot.

And it was lethally poisonous.

The village was blanketed in seconds, people sitting up as their mouths, throats, and lungs suddenly seemed to fill with burning acid. A simular mass wail went up from the village as they suffocated to death on the burning gas. Some tried to outrun the cloud, but the gas moved far quicker then they ever could. 

Within minutes, all were dead.

Vagane watched from afar, a cruel smile on his face. To him it was as lovely as art, the way all the bodies were strewn around. But he didn't look long. He had more things to do.

Goten eventually caught up with Erik, but only because Erik inadvertingly let him. Despite his much higher speed, Erik melted into the shadows so easily that Goten constantly found himself losing the young man. If Erik had stopped for some reason, Goten never would have caught up with him.

Goten saw why Erik had stopped as he drew level with him. Erik was talking on a cell phone. For some reason, Goten almost laughed.

"Good. Keep me posted. See you later." Erik finished, and hung up. His arm whirred as Erik inserted the phone back into it, and then he looked at Goten.

"Who was that?"

"Bulma. She called with some info on our Gateway. She and her scientists have been testing it, trying to see where they can go. I gave her some info and data I learned recently, and she's gotten back to work on it. Which is good. It keeps her away from the battlefield…I don't want what happened last time to happen again."

Goten was silent. Erik looked away, glancing into the night sky.

"I try not to repeat my failures. I've had too many already."

Goten blinked. For the millionth time, Erik was remarking on his supposed failuires, and Goten was getting tired of it.

"Erik, you're not a failure."

Erik glanced back at Goten.

"What?"

"Erik…stop beating yourself up. You were a kid! You did everything you could! The same when you wound up here, and probably with every situation in your life! You're always tormenting yourself with what you couldn't or didn't do! You're slowly killing yourself! The weight you keep on your shoulders is crushing you, and you keep adding to it! Why do you do that?"

Erik cocked his head slightly.

"Because I must."

Goten goggled at Erik.

"But…"

"Goten…I swore in blood over the graves of everyone I ever cared about. This is my life. I am Vengeance…he serves far more use then Erik Damien Ravensky. Maybe it will kill me…I can accept that. Why can't you?"

"Because you have so much more! You have friends!"

"They could live without me."

"You have a sister! Your whole family isn't dead!"

"Maybe not…but in a way, Christine is not a Ravensky. She has no memories of it, only extremely faint ones of me. She's become her own woman. If I left…she would be sad…but she would be able to move on. She has friends and a husband who loves her. She could survive without me."

"Then what about…about…" Goten said, trying to figure out how to verbally voice his observations of Celeste in regard to Erik. There was something there, he could see it, but he wondered if Erik could. When it came to his mission of revenge, for the "Pure" and against Vagane, Erik was as focussed as a laser beam.

"About…?" Erik asked. Goten decided he would just take the plunge.

But he never got the chance, as Erik suddenly turned his head abruptly, his eyes narrowing in concentration.

"Erik? What's wrong?"

"I hear…crying. It's incredibly faint…my systems can barely sort it out from all the other noise…pain, someone's in pain…there." Erik said, as his eyes focussed. Goten looked after him.

"A hospital? Erik, people…"

"No Goten, this is different. This isn't the pain of an accident victim being attended to…this is something…worse…there's fear too. Something's wrong down there!"

Erik had just finished speaking when he took off, running across the roof he was standing on towards the hospital. Startled, Goten ran after Erik.

"Erik! How the hell do you know?"  
"I have my ways!" Erik tossed over his shoulder, and then leapt off the roof, flipping in mid-air and falling the six stories down to the ground.

A couple walking down the night street stopped abruptly in fear as Erik landed in front of them, the impact driving him to his knees. The dark warrior paused for a second, gathering his breath, and then straightened up and headed across the street towards the hospital as the couple stared after him.

Then Goten landed where Erik had, and the couple's eyes snapped back to look at him.

"Heh. He's a stuntman." Goten said lamely, and headed off after Erik before the couple could ask any questions.

Paul was bored. Leno was over and there was nothing new on, so he was channel surfing without any clear goal.

"Boring…boring…seen it…**_FRENCH_**…"Paul muttered as he flipped through the channels. "Dammit, over a thousand channels and there's nothing on!" Paul complained, but it didn't stop his channel surfing.

"Hahahahhahahaha…"

"…final answer…?"

"…tribal counsol…"

"…To the OR STAT!…"

"…Disaster…."

Paul paused and then flipped back to the previous channle to reveal a stern looking newsman. It appeared to be some kind of all-news channel.

"Early reports are sketchy, but it appeared that the eruption and subsequent destruction of Mount Saint Helens has led to the total destruction of the surrounding area. Scientists are baffled on how the volcano, thought dead after the 1980 eruption that killed former president during the end of WWII and the beginning of the Cold War Harry Truman, could manage to erupt so violently, and so suddenly…"

"What's going on?" came the voice of Rod as he walked up to Paul, who was staring at the TV.

"Mount Saint Helens erupted…"

Rod stopped dead.

"Did you say Mount Saint Helens?"

"Yeah."

"That's impossible. It's extinct. It blew itself out after the last eruption."

"Well, not only did it erupt, it destroyed everything around in a two or three mile radius. The report says they aren't expecting to find any survivors…"

Rod wasn't listening. Instead, he was staring at the TV.

"This couldn't have happened. Mount Saint Helens destroyed itself during the 1980 eruption. Even if it did erupt again, it would take a long time, long enough to warn the people in the surrounding area, and the ruption wouldn't be powerful enough to cause that much ruin! Mount Saint Helens was situated on a relatively calm area, and with the damage to it beforehand, there is no way so much pressure could have built up before being released long before it hit the stage to…it's not natural. Not natural at…Paul, are you pondering what I'm pondering?"

"Sure Brain, but where would we put the monkeys afterwards?" Paul cracked in a perfect Pinky imitation. Rod looked at Paul with eyes that said "Paul, don't joke, this is a bad time for it". Paul shut up.

"Paul, I think we had better speak to Bulma."

It was a calm morning at the London Zoo, as the rush of everyday tourists during the summer was starting to build. Parents with wide-eyed kids, teenagers skipping school or doing something rather then nothing, and people who just generally liked to look at animals walked through the enclousure, staring at the animals. For their part, the animals slept, or ate, or stared back at the humans.

It sickened Vagane. Everywhere, mockery was going on, to little kids making faces and throwing things at the lazy lion as it tried to nap in peace, to teenagers tossing various objects into the cages to see if the animals would eat them. These animals were far greater personifications of survival then humanity would ever be, because they relied on instinct and virtually nothing else except their natural gifts. But because they lacked the intelligence to understand that, or the means to prove it, locked behind cages or fences or high stone walls, they stood and took the abuse.

But that was rapidly about to change. These humans were going to see they weren't the superior beings with the god-given right to look down on every other species on the planet. They were going to see they were pieces of meat.

The small droid flew over the wall and headed for the centre of the zoo. A good many people noticed it, but they could do little but stare after it or at it as it finally came to the centre of the zoo. Various personnel of the zoo were at a loss as well.

Vagane began tapping his keys and a strange xtension that looked like some kind of twisted combination of a speaker and a microphone extended from the top and bottom of the robot. Vagane prepped the command, entered it, and with the press of a button, activated it.

The shrieking noise exploded across the zoo, causing every human to slam their hands over their ears. However, with the organs covered, the effect was only a tad unpleasent for them.

But for the animals, it was something far more, as the noise threw them into a panic. The parrk filled with various cries, shrieks, roars, and bellows as the waves of sound Vagane's machine pierced right into their brain. But there was more to sound in the attack. Buried deep within it was a subliminal message specifically set for the waves lengths of the animals's brains. The message was quick, simple, and drove straight to the core of every one of the beasts, in the unspoken language all could understand.

__

You are in danger. Kill or be killed.

With the animals suitably panicked and ready to stampede, Vagane pressed a few more keys, and the extensions modified themselves. Vagane tapped some more keys, and then pressed the biggest one.

The new wave that emitted from the robot was on a wavelength that neither the humans nor animals could hear. But Vagane didn't need for them to hear it. He just needed for it to be emitted.

The wavelength spread across the park, and suddenly the air was filled with shrapnal as everything seemingly began to explode, as the sound pierced deep into the stone, metal, and plastic restraints around the animals and smashed them to pieces at a molecular level.

Unfortunately for the people, this effected any kind of such material. Violently.

Watches exploded, blowing hands off at the wrist and causing blood to gout from bloody stumps. Shoes seemingly detonated as if filled with nitroglycerine, mangling the delicate muscle and bone structures of feet. One man wearing a plastic belt was blasted in half as the clothing exploded and sliced through him.

The young child who had been teasing the lion hadn't wanted braces. He was afraid he would be teased, and indeed, that was what happened. His anger and frustration, unable to be used on his tormentors, and instead found as many scapegoats as possible, including the lion.

That ceased to be a problem for him, as he felt a sudden surge of pressure it his jaw before his whole head exploded from his braces shattering, spraying his father with shredded cereberal tissue. His father screamed at the sheer horror of seeing this, but he didn't get a chance to fully comprehend it as the lion, freed from his cage, maddened beyond belief, and with the scent of fresh blood in his nostrils, pounced on the father, tearing him to shreds.

All over the zoo, the same thing was happening. Not all the animals fed on meat, but all were frantic and readying to defend themselves by any means necessary. They would have turned on each other, but for the moment, humans were far more plentiful. And easier targets.

Screams wafted from the zoo in a cataphony of pain, fear, and violence. Blood ran in rivers.

Vagane couldn't help laughing.

"Humans. Without their guns and other tools…pathetic. I cannot believe I was once one of them." Vagane said in a grateful tone. He allowed himself to watch the massacre for a few more seconds, but he had other things to do. He still had three more targets.

And one was utterly crucial to the setup he had planned.

Celeste's eyes fluttered open, to find herself staring at the ceiling.

__

I'm alive…ow, in great pain, but alive…I failed Erik again. I couldn't defeat Adam…I should have. Instead, he had to save me again. Maybe the reason I can't tell him how I feel is because I don't deserve someone like him…

"Oh, you're awake!" came a voice, and then Buu's face filled Celeste's vision. Celeste started.

"Oh sorry. I have to stop doing that." Buu said, backing off. Celeste tried to sit up, disliking how sticky her hair was. Her vision swam slightly, and she put out a hand to brace herself.

"Hey, be careful there Celeste! You're pretty badly hurt." Buu said, trying his best to brace the woman.

"Yeah. I can feel it." Celeste said, raising her hand to feel her bandaged forehead. Buu suddenly looked angry.

"That mean…thing! When I get my hands on him, I'm gonna kick his butt so hard…well, it'll be a huge beating!" Buu said, trying to think of a metaphor to describe how badly he would beat Adam and failing. Celeste blinked.

"What…why Buu? Why would you…?"

"Huh? Why would I beat up the man who did this to you? Because we're friends! And friends look out for each other!" Buu said in complete earnest.

Celeste stared at Buu. _Friends…he barely knows me and he considers us friends…this is so strange…if he knew the real me…would he care about it, like so many have? Or would he look past it like Erik…?_

"Well…I…ow." Celeste said as pain ripped through her. She became dizzy and Buu had to steady her again.

"You look bad. I know the feeling. It reminds me when I got beat up by my evil half."

Celeste looked at Buu, intrigued.

"Evil half?"

"Yeah! It's a long story, wanna hear it?"  
Celeste smiled slightly.

"Sure."

It was a quiet night in Little Frog, Arkansas, and the night of the monthly town meeting, The town was a small one of roughly 1200 people, who lived peaceful lives outside the insane pace and the hustle and bustle of the modern world. In the townhouse, about 200 of those people had gathered to listen to the mayor, Phillip Carol, as he did the usual annoucements. Any problems would then be discussed, and then they would break for the night. Same old, same old.

Not this time.

The first casulty of Vagane's robot crashing through the ceiling was 96 year old Margret Tribal, who had attended every single meeting for nearly fifty years. The shock caused her old, weak heart to give out, and she died with hardly a gasp. Unfortunately, she had sat at the very back of the room by herself, and no one noticed as everyone stood up in surprise as the robot floated downward amid the sifting rubble. Everyone stared at it.

The small droid righted itself in the air and stopped. As the people watched, the top slid open.

Then a hologram suddenly projected itself from the top of the machine, and the cruelly grinning face of Dr. Thanatos Vagane appeared for all to see.

"Hello people." Vagane said to the shocked crowd, and then his hologram figured reached over and pressed an "offscreen" button.

A small tube-like extension extracted from the machine and fired outward into the crowd. It struck Bill Mahon, a man in his forties who ran the town bakery and had a wife, two kids, and a good life. He screamed, and then the stink of burning flesh filled the air as his body was vaporized into ash.

Now the crowd started to scream, and began a stampede towards the lone door. Vagane smirked and pressed the button again, and his tube fired outward and struck the person closest to the door, a divorced single mother named Valerie Redgrave. She got a second to scream before she was flash-fried out of existence. The crowd stopped dead in their movement and noise.

"And anyone else who tries to escape suffers the same fate. And believe me, I can get you all." Vagane chuckled cruelly. Although he had nearly lost his mind, Phillip Carol slowly walked forward and looked at Vagane's evil smirk.

"Who are you and what do you want?"

"I am Vagane, and what I want is to wipe all existence so I can get rid of the wastrels who abuse and glut themselves on nature's gifts…but I am rambling. Now listen. This robot is also a bomb, powerful enough to destroy the entire town. Here's my order. You are to seek out every single good person in your pathetic little town. And kill them. Horribly."

Phillip goggled at the request. The man was completely insane, but he also had power under his command. An extremely dangerous combination.

"What…WHAT? Kill every…good…how can we tell who's good?"  
Vagane chuckled.

"That is your problem. Kill them or you ALL die. And don't try leaving town, or attacking the robot, or I'll detonate the bomb. Kill them all. Men, women, children, if you want to survive. And I want proof. You have an hour. Goodbye, scum. I have soiled myself enough by talking with your kind."

And with that, Vagane was gone, leaving only a desperate crowd realizing that if they wanted to live, they had no choice but to do what he said.

Ash was trying to get his mind off of the situation at hand by one of the better ways he knew: dueling with his wife. He didn't feel like sleeping, and he doubted he could talk Christine into doing something, if he even felt like doing it. Hence, the duel. He was getting a little rusty anyway.

However, the duel did cause one annoying thing. The Soulfire felt that it had to provide running commentary.

**__**

And Christine with a right, and a thrust, but Ash dodges and does a lovely slash at her head, but she blocks! Here we go again! Parry! Parry! Thrust! Thrust! Dodge slash! Dodge slash again! OW! I have repeatly told Ash NOT to use that part of me to block, but does he listen, NOOOO…

"SHUT UP!" Ash and Christine yelled at the Soulfire. "Stop talking like I'm not here! In fact, stop talking!"

**__**

I tell ya, genius is never recognized in its own time…

Ash sighed.

"Do you concede?"

"What? No way! You concede!"

"No, I was winning!"

"WHAT? I was so totally kicking your ass, Ash!"

**__**

Dude, it is like, so totally henious that you're fighting! Ash, quit acting like a total reekazoid and…

"STOP IMITATING ADAM COPELAND!" Ash and Christine yelled simultaneously again.

**__**

Hey, you started it, you barfoid!

Ash picked up his sword and threw it across the room at the wall.

**__**

Wheeee! I'm flying! I'm flyi-ow! I have experienced a revalation. Flying is easy, landing is the hard part!

Ash sighed and then suddenly found Christine's blade at his throat.

"I win, Ash." Christine smirked. Ash sighed in an exaggerated tone and did exaggarated surrending motions.

"I have lost the battle. What is the punishment? Death? Dismemberment? Horrible torture?"

Christine didn't answer. Instead, she put her weapon down and leaned forward, kissing her husband. Ash returned it, and Christine quickly slid into his arms.

**__**

Normally, people would say, "Ahhh, young love", but after seeing these two play kissy-face as many times as I have…I swear, they must have been hippies in an earlier life…HEY! COME UP FOR AIR!

Ash and Christine ignored the sword, lost in each other.

**__**

AHHHHHHHH! THERE'S AN ALLIGATOR OUTSIDE THE WINDOW!

The kiss held.

**__**

LOOK OUT! A SNAKE IS CRAWLING AROUND YOUR FEET!

Ash stroked his wife's hair.

**__**

RUN EVERYONE! THE GROUND IS CRAWLING WITH SCORPIONS!

"Yep, they're kissing again." Lindsay said as she walked into the room, having heard Soulfire yelling for a bit. Ash broke the kiss, looking at the woman who was always annoying him.

"Something wrong, Lindsay?"

"Yeah, Paul and Bulma wanna see you. There's something we all have to look at."

"Did he give any specifics?" Christine said, as she and Ash headed after Lindsay, Ash picking up his sword on the way.

**__**

Ohhh Chris! Is that a hickey?

Ash shoved his sword back into the sheath.

**__**

Ahhh no not the sheath…anything but the sheath…

Vagane smiled to himself as the last robot set itself into position. Now everything was ready. Time to begin.

"You think Vagane caused it to erupt?" Ash asked in disbelief. Bulma nodded.

"I checked and double checked. What happened there shouldn't have…unless there was outside interference. But the technology…to cause what happened…it doesn't exist…unless…" Bulma trailed off.

"But why would…I mean, it makes no sense, how would it help him…?" Gohan said in disbelief.

"I think we've established that we can't understand how he thinks, you baka. So don't bother. I just want to know where he is." Vegeta growled. He'd been in an especially foul mood lately, and everyone was steering clear of him except his daughter, who seemed to be taking after him.

"Well, maybe…" began Brigh.

"Hey hey, wait a minute. I got something else…" Paul said as he looked at the computer he had been doing research on.

"What?" came half a dozen replies.

Paul stared as he read. His face paled slightly.

"There was some incident at a London Zoo…it's sketchy on details, But it looks like all the animals…somehow went crazy and escaped at the SAME time…the zoo was nearly full. It looks like a slaughter."

Now a mirror expression of Paul's face was on several of the Legacy and the Z Warriors.

"Do you think…he's doing these monstrous deeds?" William asked. Christine looked sick, and Ash looked at her in worry, before looking off in another direction.

"Where the hell is Erik?"

Had the janitor been half a second faster, he would have been bowled right over when Erik almost exploded through the front doors of the hospital. As it was, the sudden, violent opening the doors caused him to rear backwards and fall on his butt, almost knocking over his mop bucket in the process. He gaped at the large man, dark in hair and clothing, who had just come through the door. Erik glanced his way for a quarter of a second.

"Sorry." He muttered, and was immediately off into the hospital. As he turned the corner, Goten came in, looked around, and cursed as he saw Erik had eluded him.

"Hey buddy, did some dark guy…" Goten began to ask the janitor.

"Yes, he went that way." Replied the maintenance worker, pointing down the hallway and to the right. Goten thanked the man and took off, passing the front desk.

"Excuse me sir…" said the nurse on duty.

"Can't talk later miss!" Goten tossed over his shoulder, as he saw Erik vanished through a set of double doors at the end of the hallway. As they swung closed, Goten read the sign above it, and saw Erik was heading for the emergency room.

And then Goten noticed something else. The hallway was nearly empty. Besides the janitor and desk nurse, there was only one other man, apparently a male nurse, in the hallway, walking towards Goten. He was in the process of looking back towards Goten after Erik had run past him and he had turned his head in interest.

"Hey buddy, where is everybody?" Goten asked the man. He knew hospitals almost always had some kind of hustle happening everywhere, and the lack of it disturbed him.

The man looked at Goten quizzingly.

"Don't you know? It was the Satan City diaster. There was so much devastation that nearly all the doctors in the surrounding areas are there, along with most of the other medical personel. They can't transport the victims here easily because of the damage to the roads, so they're treating them there…"

Goten didn't hear the rest, tossing a quick thanks over his shoulder as he pushed past the male hospital employee and headed off after Erik, pushing through the doorway.

The faint cries hit his ears almost immediately. They were coming from the waiting room. Due to the unalterable tendancy of people to use hospitals as their makeshift clinics, the medical profession had had no choice but to install the facilities for people to wait and be treated. This virtually negated the whole title of "emergency room", for despite the entrance of badly hurt people from accidents and whatnot, they were outnumbered ten to one by people who had corns on their toe or small cuts easily bandaged at home. Call them lazy. Call them paranoid. Call them ignorant. But that was they way it was. Real life wasn't like E.R.

But as Goten rushed into the waiting room, he realized that life was imitating art, for what he saw was definitely an emergency.

The woman lay on the floor, wearing what looked to be a nightgown with a floral pattern. She wore one slipper on her left foot, the other one missing and presumingly long gone. She had short dark hair and a childish face, with even a few freckles on her nose. She was an average woman, except for two things.

One was her stomach, swollen and large with pregnacy. She appeared to be in the very last stages. The baby would be due in a few weeks at most.

If something wasn't terribly wrong, which was the second and far more obvious thing. Around the woman was a pool of blood, dark red but starting to brown. The woman's leg and bottom nightgown was soaked with the same blood, and the woman's hands, clutched painfully onto her swollen stomach, were covered with it as well. The cries were coming from her. Perhaps earlier, she had been screaming, but whatever had happened to her had drained her strength to the point where she could only emit the low cries. She was pleading for help without words.

Three men were around her. The lone one standing looked like an older, male version of the woman, with a head of hair and greying beard of the same dark hair colour and a simular facial structure that suggested a genetic resemblence. The other man was kneeling, wearing a haphazard style of clothes that looked slapped on at the last minute and his reddish hair pasted to his forehead with sweat. He was holding the woman's hand, his eyes filled with fear, worry, and desperation. But for the moment, his eyes weren't on the woman, who Goten presumbed to be his girlfriend, wife, or significant other. 

His eyes were on Erik, who was also kneeling next to the woman. Goten couldn't believe it. The woman was obviously suffering a crisis, and somehow Erik had sensed it and been drawn to it. Goten knew Erik could supposedly sense whether you were good or evil innately, but this was something else.

And how Erik had learned to do so posed a darker question to Goten, but he pushed it to the back of his head. For now, his eyes were on Erik.

"…ninety minutes?!?" Erik was finishing saying to the man, as he tried to speak to him and check on the woman at the same time.

"Yeah, I keep being told there's no doctors but there will be soon…" said the man, his voice laced with panic and his own plea for help.

Goten looked around the room. The waiting room was half full with various men and women. Some were watching the spectacle, but most weren't, calmly reading or doing their own things. Their total lack of caring appalled Goten. The woman Erik was tending to had obviously been there for some time, and while some continued to look, none had made a move to help her. It seemed society became more aloof and non-caring every day, people only looking out for themselves, and damn be anyone who got in the way or fell by the side.

It made him wonder if Vagane had a point.

"No doctors? Bullshit! This is a hospital, there's always doctors! Where the hell are the doctors?"

"They've been called away to the Satan City destruction. The hospital is almost empty." Goten suddenly piped up. Erik jerked his head towards Goten, his long dark hair swirling around his head. The look on his face said that Erik was coming to the same conclusion.

"Shit…….." Erik cursed, and then turned back to the woman. "What's your name, miss?"  
"K-K-Kate…" the woman managed to spit out. Erik took Kate's other hand and held it firmly but gently. A gesture of assurance.

"Hang on Kate, I'm going to get you some help. This is inexcusable and I will not stand for it." Erik said, almost in a snarl, and stood up.

"Erik…what's going on?" Goten asked as Erik pushed past Goten and headed towards the empty desk that stood at one end of the waiting area.

"Kate's pregnant, as you might have guessed. She was going to bed when she slipped and fell down the stairs. It was a bad fall. I think the placenta seperated partially from the uterus because of it. If the baby isn't removed, the placenta could separate fully and the baby will die, and Kate could bleed to death in the process. They should have been treated the second they walked in, but the lack of doctors had made them wait here for nearly an hour and a half! Well, I'm going to get this woman a doctor come hell or high water!" Erik snapped, and he reached the desk and began banging on the bell as hard as he could. The loud ringing rang through the room, and after a bit the door behind the desk opened and a nurse emerged.

"Take a number, and wait…"she began. Goten looked at her. She was in her forties, obviously overworked, and very tired.

However, that cut her no dice with Erik.

"That woman is suffering from a fall, and if she doesn't get help, she will most likely suffer a spontaneous abortion which could very well kill her too! She needs help, and she needs it YESTERDAY!" Erik yelled. The nurse's eyes widened, a bit blown away by Erik's intensity and strange look.

"I'm sorry sir, but all our doctors are gone and tied up in something. It's the same for everyone else here…"

"EVERYONE ELSE HERE IS NOT ABOUT TO DIE!" Erik roared, and even Goten was a bit taken aback. "NOW I WANT HELP, AND I WANT IT NOW!"

The nurse was now looking a bit scared, and Goten could see in her body language she was looking for a way to call security without tipping off Erik. Goten figured she had about as much chance of that as she did of winning the lottery, but he figured he would point it out to Erik anyway. Despite his harshness, the woman obviously needed help.

But before he could, and just as the nurse was about to respond, Erik's head suddenly darted sideways. He'd seen something.

Then he left the desk, heading off in the direction his head had turned, and Goten looked over and saw what Erik had seen.

A man stood there, dressed in jeans, a blue shirt, and a white coat that was universal with doctors and scientists. He was carrying a clipboard and looked to be in his mid-thirties with short, dark brown hair, brown eyes, and a strange pale complexion. He had been heading out a door and away from the emergency room when Erik's sudden and abrupt stride towards him stopped him in confusion and curiosity.

"Doctor…are you a doctor?" Erik asked, although his tone sounded more like he was ordering the man to be a doctor.

"Yes…" the man said in confusion.

"Can you deliver a baby?"

"Well, I…"

"Good. Come with me." Erik said, grabbing the doctor's arm.

The doctor yanked it away from Erik, and Erik, already in the midst of turning the doctor around and beginning to yank him towards the couple before the doctor had pulled away, whirled.

"What are you doing?" Erik asked.

"I should ask you the same thing! How dare you touch me…!"

"WHAT?" Erik said incredulously. "Are you BLIND? Can't you see her!?! She's bleeding to death on the floor and she needs help…!"  
"And she is not my problem. The private patient I have been called to is."

Erik was silent

And then, it seemed like Erik's anger turned off, almost as if a switch had been hit. But while he no longer looked angry, he still looked deadly serious. 

Goten felt a shiver run down his spine. What was coming off of Erik now wasn't anger. It was far far worse.

"That woman is dying. Why are you refusing to help her?" Erik said quietly.

"She's not my problem. She doesn't pay my salery, and neither do any of the one-brain celled idiots who come through this room every day. My private patients do, so I could care less about her. Not get out of my face before I call the…"

The doctor didn't get to finish his sentence, as Erik's right hand suddenly snapped up and seized him by the throat as Erik's fury came roaring back.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Erik screamed, and with one quick movement he tossed the doctor across the room. Cries of surprise and shock filled the room as the doctor crashed against the opposing wall, falling onto a push tray of equipment and knocking it over. Goten's eyes widened. His disbelief that the doctor had outright ignored the woman and her problem shocked him, but Erik's furious and violent reaction that the doctor wasn't going to do a damn thing had shocked him even more.

"You're not worthy to have taken the Hippocratic Oath." Erik snarled, as everyone stared at him, most of all Kate, her husband, and the other man. Goten's eyes caught movement, and he spun to see the nurse Erik had been yelling at before he had tried to get the doctor to help dialing the phone.

Then Goten heard a clicking noise.

"Put it down."

Goten looked back at Erik and his eyes widened at the gun that had appeared in Erik's hand. Later, Goten would theorize that Erik had somehow extracted the parts from his arm and assembled them in a second, but at the moment he had been more concerned about the fact that Eik was pointing a gun at the nurse.

Screams started to erupt in the room.

"Shut up." Erik said, his voice low but very dangerous. Somehow, he got to everyone, as everyone fell silent, except for Kate's muffled sobs of pain. "Now miss, put the phone down."

The nurse listened.

"Now, Nurse…?"

"Jessica." The nurse said in fear.

"Jessica. Do you know how to deliver a baby?"

"I…I only know how to help…I can't actually…"

"Good. With this piece of shit not giving a damn about human life, instead caring about his fat wallet, I am left with no choice. Get ready, I'm going to deliver the baby."

Goten would have verbally exclaimed his disbelief, except the nurse named Jessica beat him to it.

"WHAT? Sir…do you have medical training?"

"No, but I know how to do it. Trust me." Erik said, keeping the gun trained on the nurse as he began walking towards Goten.

"What…sir, I can't allow you to do this! You'll kill…!"

Erik cocked the hammer back.

"Her life or yours, Jessica. Choose now."

Goten began moving towards Erik. Erik glanced at him, then looked back at the nurse. Goten reached Erik's side without trouble.

"Erik, what the fuck are you _doing?_" Goten hissed to Erik in a whisper.

"Goten, it's obvious no one is ready to help this woman. And she's going to die if she doesn't get help. But it's obvious that these people aren't going to let a stranger walk off the street and deliver a baby unless he points a gun at their head, which is what I've been forced to do. I'm not going to kill anyone, but if I don't bluff that I will, they won't listen to me. And I need their help. And yours."

Goten felt cold metal in his palm, and he looked down and realized Erik had passed him another gun.

"What? What, Erik…?"

"You'll need to hold them at gunpoint. I need my hands. Goten, trust me. If you're worried I'll kill her, don't be. I've got virtually every common medical procedure in the data banks in my head, delivering children is one. Trust me Goten, if I don't help this woman NOW…"

The pleading in Erik's tone and eyes was obvious. Goten swallowed and hoped that he was doing the right thing.

"All right! Everyone except her clear out! Now!" Goten suddenly yelled as he turned around from Erik and held the gun at the people gathered in the waiting room. The people didn't need to hear anything else, as they immediately cleared out. Erik's eyes widened. Goten may have been reluctant, but he was a good actor as well.

"Thank you. Goten, get a stretcher…!"

"Sir, I cannot…" Jessica began to protest, but shut up when Erik aimed the gun at her again. Keeping it level, Erik headed back over to Kate.

"I'm going to help you Kate. Don't worry, soon the pain will be over, and you'll be able to hold your newborn." Erik said to Kate. Then he turned his eyes to her husband.

"Sir…I assume you are her father?"

"Yes." Said the older man.

"I figured. What's your name?"

"Micheal."

"Micheal. Well Micheal, I know this may seem crazy, but if I don't help your daughter NOW, she'll most likely die. I need you to trust me. You too sir. I may seem to be threatening her life, but that's just a bluff to get people to listen. I swear on everything that's holy that I will do everything in my power to save her. If you think not…then you can kill me afterward. But now, I need to get her prepped, so I am begging, PLEASE trust me." Erik said in a rush. He knew that if the father and husband saw him as a threat, things would get even worse. But by saying he would be delivering the baby and enforcing the decision with a gun, it was hard not to send that impression.

"I…I…" Micheal said.

"Dad…please…he wants to help…please…" Kate suddenly spoke up. Micheal glanced down at his daughter, then looked back at Erik.

"She could always tell who to believe…if she believes you…can you deliver the baby?"

"Yes. If anything, I know that." _Among many other things. Goten, where are you, if she keeps bleeding like this for another five minutes…!_

"He should have been back long ago. He's no slouch, even if he decided to take his time. So why isn't your brother here, Chris?" Ash asked his wife.

"I don't know…maybe he…no, not possible…"

"I doubt he is dead, but we don't need his absence right now! If anyone here can understand Vagane to a degree…and tell if he is doing these things…then we need him here, not elsewhere!" Vegeta said. He didn't really care about the massacres, but if they were connected to Vagane, they could lead them to him. And Kakarott.

"Calm down Vegeta, sweetie…" Bulma said.

"DON'T CALL ME SWEETIE!"

"Save your rage for the battlefield father. I don't want another fight between you and mom. Not now." Trunks interjected in a deadly serious tone. Vegeta glanced at his son, then looked back at his wife.

"Agreed. Very well Bulma, what were you saying?"

"I was saying, you forget who I am, I think I can do what Erik can and try to…"

"Understand me? Impossible. Impossible for the Failure, and even more for you."

Everyone whirled in an extreme jerking motion when they heard the calm, cruel voice behind them, all the Legacy drawing their weapons in mid-turn.

Then, as one, everyone gaped at the hologram being projected from the small robot that was floating in the air behind them. It was a hologram of Vagane, his fingers interlaced and his chin above them, a slight smirk on his face.

"You…!" Gohan suddenly hissed, his fingers clenching into fists. His reaction and expression was mirrored in all the Z Fighters, but most strongly in Gohan, Pan, and Vegeta. If Goten had been there, he would have matched the other three in sheer intensity.

Ash couldn't sense all the power the large group of warriors was giving off, but he had a idea, and even that blew him away. The air sang with the sheer force and might that all the Z Fighters could bring to bear as one.

"Please. Enough with your charades. I will not be impressed."

"You…you…you…you…!" Gohan seemed unable to say anything else. Vagane smirked.

"Worried about your wife, Son Gohan? Figures. You couldn't understand the great deed she is doing. You saiya-jins have been corrupted by humanity's weaknesses. Pity…but I can rectify it. In time."

"How dare you come into this building, you son of a bitch!" Bulma suddenly screamed. Vagane turned his eyes on the woman.

"Be silent woman, or I'll leave before you get to see the show."

Bulma's eyes widened.

"It was you…you did cause them…"

"Ah, but of course. I rather like the zoo one myself, the role reversal is delicious. But that's not all."

"You monster! How dare you think such cruelty is amusing! When I get my hands on you…!" Ash began, but Vagane cut him off.

"Don't be so self-righteous, boy. It sickens me. Why do you bother protecting humans? They don't deserve to live! What are they? A smoldering sack of ruinous desires, schemes, and hatreds! The only reason they mask it is because society believes that it can punish them…which is even more foolish then humanity. Humanity created society, and now society thinks it can reign humanity in? Don't make me laugh!"

The group was silent, unable to think of a response. Vagane smirked.

"You do not believe me. Very well, I will show you." Vagane said.

Then the image of the robot split. On one side was Vagane, and on the other…

Christine gasped. It looked like a small town, except it had been turned into a warzone. Various buildings burned, cars were overturned, ruined, or burning wrecks, and bodies lay everywhere. But it was not soldiers who ran amongst the streets, but other ordinary people, some armed and covered with blood, others fleeing in terror. But it seemed they had no where to run, as the armed humans found them and cut them down with no mercy. The whole town reeked of death, fear…and hatred.

"Look at it. Humanity in the middle of the highest society. All I had to do was threaten their lives…and they let it all out. All their hatreds, their resentments…their fears. And this is the result. Give humanity an outlet and it will lead itself to ruin. And this would be a fitting fate for them, if only…"  
"YOU MONSTER!" Gohan suddenly screamed, as his hair flared up and went SSJ, and he flexed his legs to leap up and fly out of the room.

"I would not recommend you do that, Son Gohan. If you wish to save lives, you will stay put!" Vagane snapped. For some reason, Gohan stopped, or at least long enough for Vagane to press a button.

Another hologram appeared next to Vagane's floating figure. It appeared to be some kind of map of a country boardering on a body of water. Besides that, the identity of the landmass was unknown. But Vagane swiftly provided it.

"California, one of the fifty states of the United States, which I will note, is where this little sordid event is happening." Vagane said, indicating the continual picture of the bloody violence that had consumed Little Frog. "Unfortunately…it is located along a very unstable length of earth which you humans have dubbed the St. Andreas Fault or something like that. Thus, California is continually shaken by earthquakes…but relatively minor ones compared to what this fault could do. I have a droid right at the very centre of that fault line, people. Any of you move a muscle…and I'll activate the robot and it will sent the fault line into such a frenzy your "Richter Scale" will overload before it can measure it, and California, and everyone in it, goes into the Pacific Ocean!"

The group was stunned into silence. Even Vegeta was floored. He had destroyed far bigger things, including whole planets before. But he had always had a purpose in it. But the total destruction of such a landmass and the casualties that would result in it would serve nothing…except to make Vagane happy. Vegeta had destroyed Arlia and other planets due to Freiza's orders, but he'd taken no joy in it. Vagane would.

"You wouldn't dare." Ash hissed, as angry as Gohan and co.

**__**

Um, completely insane, remember Ash? You know, thinks up is down, black is white, etc etc?

"Ha! It figures that the only non-organic would have some sort of understanding, even if it is completely wrong. Ah Ash, you think I can't do it? You obviously weren't paying attention at Satan City. Very well, I can give you a reminder." Vagane said, glancing below him as if he was looking at a watch. He tapped a few keys.

The viewpoint of the warzone that was now Little Frog changed. Now it was as if the Z Warriors and the Legacy were looking through a camera.

What they saw was a desperate looking man, wearing torn and bloody clothes. He was clutching what looked to be a splintered and bloody length of wood, and his eyes were wild and full of fear. He appeared to be looking at whatever was projecting the picture. Behind him, several figures, some male, some female, lurked, all looking simular to the man at the forefront. No one except he knew that he had once been Phillip Carol.

"It is done…is everyone there? We did it…we had to kill most of the town but we killed all the good people…god forgive us, we did it…" Phillip said in a pleading, desperate tone.

"But you seem good. Why are you still alive?" Vagane said. He could very well have been speaking to the Z Fighters and Legacy, but it was clear the man heard him too.

"NO! I just commited mass murder, how could I-ARGH!" screamed Phillip as the figures behind him pounced, bludgeoning him down and off the camera view. His screams wafted up as the people beat him to death, without any caring on their faces. Their motions showed only one desire: survival.

A low sound underlaid it. Gohan realized Vagane was laughing. He didn't think he could get any angrier, but somehow he did.

"Ah…such utter brutality. That is the true face of humanity, people. Kill anything that stands in their way of survival. It almost makes them worthy of survival."

Ash's eyes widened. _Almost?_

"But then I remember why they are pathetic…and not worthy of survival. Their most prevalent quality will forever damn them. Sorry I didn't mention that before, people." Vagane chuckled, and pressed a button as all the people who had beat Phillip to death suddenly had faces filled with terror. One even tried to scream.

Then the picture vanished, and was replaced by another, a long far away shot.

Then the whole hologram shook as it went completely white, and then the picture returned. Everyone's jaw dropped as they saw the massive mushroom cloud rising up.

"Oops! I also forget to mention that bomb was a nuclear one! Detonating a nuclear weapon in the heartland of America! Silly me!" Vagane laughed, before turning back to the group. "Still believe I don't have it in me, boy? It is my sworn destiny."

"You're insane. You're beyond insane." Ash stammered, his whole body shaking. Vagane smirked.

"No boy. You just can't understand the way I'm thinking. Speaking of thinking, Videl is thinking of you, Gohan, and she sends her regards." Vagane said, pressing another button.

And the screams filled the room, projected from the robot device. The screams were ones of horrible pain and even worse violation.

They were Videl's.

Ash couldn't tell who got angrier, Gohan or Mr. Satan. But the evidence was more clear with Gohan, who's hair rearranged itself into spiked locks as his legs tensed again.

"Ah ah!" Vagane said, waving a finger. "Move and no one will ever be getting a tan on the west side of the U.S again."

Ash didn't know how Gohan contained himself. Virtually everyone else was shaking with rage, but Gohan had gone beyond even that.

"My god…what control…I thought by now steam would be coming out of his ears." Ash whispered to himself.

**__**

His ears, if we're lucky!

"What do you WANT?" Gohan said, his voice dripping with fury. He was beyond even the point where he had wanted to torment Cell. His mind raged with thoughts about Vagane that would have made Erik and Celeste proud, for both were absent. The fact that millions of lives were tettering in the balance was barely enough to keep him from snapping.

Vagane's eyes suddenly darkened.

"What do I want…? Didn't the volcano tip you off? The lake? The zoo? And my little explosive? I want to correct things, Son Gohan. I want things to be right, to be perfect the way they should be."

"What do you know of perfection?"

Vagane's face darkened more.

"I think perhaps you are as dense as your father and younger brother. You should know damn well. Creation made this world as it made everything. It created nature, life, and the act of survival. No animal could go against creation's rules, or it would die. No exceptions. Even the dinosaurs fell to this, because Creation is forever changing its rules, gradually, or in the extinction of beasts that had ruled over the earth for countless aeons, in one big shot. But one rule never changed. Creation was absolute. It was not to be defied. Survival meant that above all else. If you did not adher to creation, you died. Then…came man."

If there had been a psychiatrist present, he would have surely noticed Vagane's mind beginning to dip even farther into incomprehensable madness. But everyone there was too absorbed in anger and in Vagane's words to try and ponder the workings of Vagane's mind.

"Man ruined everything. As a joke, creation took away all the best gifts of survival, and instead granted him the most complex and complete brain on the planet. Creation must have thought that the species would quickly die out. Instead…it overtook the planet. Man defied everything creation had set out! Instead of adapting to an enviroment, man adapted the enviroment, so that it fit his preferences! Humanity should have been wiped out quickly for this grave sin. It was not the way of survival. Natural selection is, and it should have foretold that all men would be devoured. But somehow…creation didn't listen. It ignored man. And man…it went on and destroyed the laws of natural selection. A species is supposed to only have a few sources of food and a few enemies. This may lead to the doom of one species eventually, but creation would always keep a balance. But with man, anything it chose to hunt, or considered a threat, became doomed! Man threw the balance completely out of order, warping it to his needs as it warped the enviroment! Eventually, all creatures who should have devoured man long ago had to learn to fear man to survive. Those who didn't…they all died. That is why the tiger barely survives today, while its superior cousin, the saber-tooth, is long dead. Tigers learned to hide away from man, but the saber-tooth was bold. Why shouldn't it be? It had jaws that could crush steel bars, much less the fragile bodies of human beings. Why should it be frightened of men? They should be frightened of it! So it matched itself up against man. Man with their knives, their spears, their bows and arrows, their fires, and their ability to think. The saber-tooth lost. As did anything that stood before man. Before long, man ruled the whole world with an iron fist. A joke had become omnipotent. It should not have been that way."

__

My god, Ash was right. He's beyond mad. I think if I tried to grasp his way of thinking I would lose my own mind. Christine thought in horror.

"Creation should have righted this. It should have damned mankind. But for some reason, it didn't. Perhaps it had grown lazy. Perhaps it had grown ignorant. Perhaps it had even grown afraid. And out there, among the infinate length of space, and thousands apon thousands of species who are just like man, or even worse. But man started it all. Now it rules everything, and slowly it is destroying everything. All for its useless, all consuming NEEDS. Needs that will lead to the total waste of everything! So what do I WANT, Son Gohan? I want to make things right, and I WANT TO WATCH THEM ALL DIE!"

And with that, Vagane reached up his hand, and Ash realized with horror he had planned to do it all along.

****

"NO!"

But there was nothing Ash or anyone could do except watch as Vagane pushed the button.

The map only showed the true horror of the situation near the end, as with the course of thirty seconds, a long crack developed across the continent and slowly caused the landmass to separate and slide into the ocean. The greedy water swallowed it like a gormand at a feast.

"You want a listen?" Vagane asked, and then flipped a switch. Suddenly, the room was once again filled with screams, of men, women, and children, as their world collasped around them and took them down as well. It was a butcher's symphony.

Vagane loved it.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! GOODBYE LOS ANGELES! GOODBYE SAN FRANCISCO! GOODBYE DISNEYLAND! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Vagane laughed.

That did it, Ash could take no more. With a scream, he picked up a chair and threw it at the hologram in a futile gesture of rage. It flew through it, causing the picture to fade a bit for a second, and crashed against the wall.

"YOU FUCKING BASTARD! WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU…!" Ash screamed. Vagane only smirked.

"Oh really?"

Then something lanced from the robot. Ash threw himself to the side along with the rest of the room, expecting an attack.

But instead, the fired projectile inserted itself into the computer behind the group. The screen lit up, flashed a few times, and then a map appeared.

"There I am." Vagane chuckled, before his face became deadly serious. "Come and get me."

And then the hologram vanished, and with a faint electronic failing noise, the robot fell and clattered on the floor. Everyone stared at it for a second, then looked back at the map.

Gohan spoke first.

"Bulma…is that an actual map?"

Bulma turned and sat down at the computer, tapping keys.

"It is…that's the Loki Mountains, they're located about 20 miles west of here…"

A scream suddenly and once again reverated through the room as Gohan whirled and threw up his hands. A green ki ball lanced from them, throwing itself upward towards the upper wall and ceiling. The room shook as it exploded, debris raining down as the smoke cleared to reveal the hole.

"Gohan, what are you DOING?" Bulma yelled.

Gohan glanced at the woman, and Bulma felt his veins fill with ice. Gohan's eyes were burning with intense rage and hatred. Vagane had driven him to the brink of sanity, and now the result was about to emerge.

"I'm going to find that bastard, and I'm going to rip his head off." Gohan said, and his voice was more dangerous then virtually anything Bulma had heard. In truth, Bulma wanted nothing more then for Gohan to go do that, but as usual, her damn intelligence had to show up to spoil the fun.

"Gohan, don't you see what this is? He did this on purpose! He's most likely luring you right into a trap!"

Gohan looked at Bulma again, and she shivered. If this look was even worse then the one he had given Perfect Cell, she almost pitied Vagane.

His eyes were afire with righteous rage.

"I don't care."

And before Bulma could say anything else, energy exploded around him and he flew up and out the hole.

Bulma blinked, and then energy exploded around Pan and she flew off after her father. A chain reaction spread around the room as everyone powered up, battle auras flaring destructive power in a rainbow of colours.

"Vegeta! Don't…!"  
"DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO WOMAN! IF HE'S THERE, SO IS KAKAROTT, AND I WON'T REST UNTIL HE'S GROVELING AT MY FEET!" Vegeta screamed, and flew off after Gohan and Pan. Bra and Trunks, both in SSJ, flew after their father, and everyone followed suit, all of them as enraged as Gohan. Bulma watched them go. She shown have known rational thought would be useless after the mind games Vagane had played. And she had a feeling he knew it too. In seconds, the only ones left were the Legacy, Master Roshi, and Mr. Satan. And the looks on their faces showed that if they could fly, they'd be going right after the Z Warriors. She turned to them.

"Guys…!"

Then Ash turned his head to Paul.

"Do it."

With those two words, Paul raised his gun, and Bulma shrieked in surprise as he opened fire on the wall. After several laser shots, the whole wall collasped. Bulma threw up her arms as the dust cloud enveloped her. Ash's voice drifted through the dust.

"Sis."

Bulma heard several strange noises, and then the dust cleared and she screamed again in surprise as she saw the massive dragon that now filled the room. The Legacy was rapidly climbing on board.

"Mother, stay here and tend to Celeste. You're still tired from your previous efforts. We'll take care of this." Ash said, and then clamoured aboard his sister's now "dragonized" back.

"Ash, don't do this! He's going to…" Bulma tried again.

"Save it Bulma. We can't stand by and let Vagane get away with this. He has to be stopped. Everyone knew that, even your husband. Vagane wonders why mankind wiped all those so called superior species off the planet, despite our supposed lack of biological tools? It's because we're a social animal, and we avenge our own. Man did it for those they lost all those years ago, and despite all the changes and advances humanity has done in the past, we have to do it now. So we're going. But if anyone here doesn't want to go, speak up now."

There was silence. Bulma began getting desperate. If they did fall into a trap…

"Ash…"

**__**

Talk to the hand, lady, because these guys ain't listening!

"Vicky! Take off! We don't want to lose those guys!"

Victoria roared and spread her wings, and with a few quick, careful steps she flew out the hole and launched herself out of the building and into the air.

The four remaining people stared after them, then Bulma sat down and began typing furiously.

"Come on guys, gather round. I can track them on this. So at the very least…should the worst case scenario happen, we'll know what to do."

"And what do we do if that happens, Bulma?" Master Roshi asked. Bulma looked back at the aged former martial arts champion.

"I don't have a damn clue."

Vagane stared at the darkened screen. Although he had hid it, he was a tad displeased.

"Strange. The Failure was not there…this is most annoying. This whole plan was based on him infecting the others with his sure to have had desire to come after me, especially after all I did to infuriate him. While the hybrid proved a worthy substitute…where could he be?"

"Maybe he's at some bar having a post butt-kicking drink." Spike piped up from his position behind Vagane. Adam glanced sideways at Spike, knowing Spike was eluding that he had lost the fight with Erik, which was not true, and wishing he could kill the vampire right then and there, future usefullness or not.

"Not. That is not like the Failure…hmmm. I will have to change the plan a tad…but that is not a problem." Vagane said. "It is time, my allies. Are you ready?"

"I will truly enjoy this spectacle. It will put the previous one to shame." Alexia said.

"I would prefer to be out there myself, but playing observer has proven to be somewhat entertaining." Adam said.

"I want one to play with afterward." Tormentor growled gleefully.

"Sod that, I'm gonna watch and drink Bloody Marys." Spike said, still feeling the effects of Celeste's beating.

"You would." Adam muttered. Spike returned the glare Adam had given him a few seconds ago.

With his allies saitisfied, Vagane turned to his trump card.

"All is ready and in place. You know what to do. Have fun." Vagane smirked.

The same evil smirk adorning his face, Goku nodded. Vagane glanced elsewhere, his eyes alighting on a certain screen. He smiled at the progress. Soon they would be born.

"Now where is the Failure?"

Goten couldn't believe it was moving so fast, and yet so slow. It seemed like an eternity since he had entered the hospital, and at the same time, everything had seemed to go at the speed of light after Goten had come back with the first stretcher he had found. Erik had apparently found some way of pacifying/convincing the husband and father that he truly meant to help their daughter, because they helped him lift Kate onto the stretcher. From there, Erik, wearing the face of a dangerous lunatic, for the sake of getting people to listen to him, had brought the girl to the nearest room with the proper facilities. The fact that Erik had a gun didn't take long to spread, the hosipital was quickly in an uproar. Security had confronted Erik, but a few (false, but they didn't know that) threats to Kate's life and they had been disarmed.

Even as he did it, Goten was in total disbelief that he was acting the way he was. When Erik motioned for him to get another nurse, Goten had done it, and done it in a way that the nurse was practically in tears. Goten felt terrible, but he knew he couldn't back down now. If he did, someone could jump or otherwise distract Erik, and that most likely would be bad for Kate. Her haemorrhage had not been as severe as it could have been, but the sudden motion was making it worse. If they didn't get some blood into her, she would die. And if Goten stopped his act, he had a feeling that Kate would be forgotten in the process of trying to disarm the "dangerous man" Erik was portraying himself to be.

He couldn't allow that. So in the end, Goten continued to amaze himself with his acting ability. People could truly adapt during times of crisis.

"Oh, and and don't call the police. I even hear the slightest hint of sirens, I put a bullet in her head! Understand?" Erik was yelling at the aforementioned disarmed guards. "You, you, get her into that room and prep! Goten, you stand guard, I have to get ready!" Erik yelled at the nurses, and then Goten, as he vanished into a small room.

A crowd was gathering, watching at the fringes of the hallway.

"Goten! Send in the husband!" Erik suddenly yelled. Goten blinked, then played along, gesturing his gun at the man in a way that said "Do what he said". Looking nervous, which Goten knew was no act, the husband quickly made his way into the area where Erik had gone.

A little while later he reemerged and walked over to Goten.

"He says that he'll need you to handle all the weapons at the moment…he needs his hands free. He said we can't be in the room either…but you can…Sir, despite his claims, I am very scared for my wife…are you sure he can deliver the baby?"

Goten gulped. He didn't know what to say.

"…If anyone can do it, Erik can…sir. I'm sorry about all the hubub…I don't think Erik wanted it to be this way…but he can't control fate. But no matter what he or I say, he means no harm. I know that, if anything…you'd best get back to your father in law, this will look suspicious…"

The husband listened, going back to Micheal's side and continuing to look worried. Goten glanced over to where Erik had sequested himself.

__

On the other hand, this never would have happened if Erik had been able to control his temper…that guy was a real bastard though…argh, I can't make up my mind! Is this right? Am I commiting a crime, or trying to do a good deed? I wish I was as decisive as Erik on the matter…

"Ok Goten, let's go! Don't let anyone in or out!" Erik said as he strode through the curtain. Goten almost giggled. The large plastic gloves Erik had put on looked rather silly with the rest of his outfit. He was holding the gun wrapped in wax paper, which he handed to Goten.

"Good job Goten. Thanks. I know how hard this is for you." Erik whispered, and then headed into the room where they had placed Kate. Goten took one last look at the crowd of various hospital personel and patients that had gathered to watch, and then headed into the room, giving one last glance at Micheal and the still unnamed husband that he hoped was asserting.

"You, what's your name?" Erik was saying to the other nurse he had "stolen" to help him do the procedure. She looked scared, even without Erik holding a gun.

"…Joy…" she stammered.

"I see. Well Nurse Joy, I need you to start giving her saline and whatever her blood type is! Jessica, you…"

Goten wasn't sure exactly what Erik said next, for he wasn't speaking directly to Goten. But Goten had a feeling that even if he had, he would have still be clueless, as half the stuff that Goten made out sounded like total gibberish.

Jessica's eyes went wide.

"You…you know about those?" she said incredulously.

"I said I knew how to deliver a baby, don't you think I would? Now do it!" Erik said. Jessica promply scadaddled. Apparently Erik had asked for various medical devices as well as various medicine.

As the nurses went about attaching various mechanisms, Erik lifted up the blood-soaked bottom of Kate's nightgown and carefully removed something. He tossed it aside, and Goten saw it was blood-soaked panties. He began to feel ill.

"Damn, the bleeding is getting worse! Nurse, I need…" Erik said, as he examined the genital area. "Kate, how far apart how your contractions?"

"I…don't know…the pain…" Kate managed to gasp out. Goten glanced outward where Micheal and Kate's husband stood, watching with wide worried eyes, surrounded by strangers who all wore the same look.

"Kate? Kate?" Erik was saying, and Goten turned his head back to see what was going on.

His eyes widened.

"ERIK! SHE'S TURNING BLUE!"

Erik tore himself from his examinations and looked at Kate, who was indeed starting to darken. He cursed inwardly. He should have noticed Kate had gone limp, indicating she had passed out.

"Shit! She's having a ameniotic-fluid embolism! We'll have to do a C-Section! Joy, get her oxygen, quickly! Jessica, scalpal!"

"What's going on? Goten said, overwhelemed but this sudden turn for the worse.

"She fell down the stairs, right? Well, it damaged the protective sack the baby's in! I think the sudden movement from the waiting room to here caused it to rupture! The fluid the baby was in is leaking into her bloodstream and robbing her of oxygen! If I don't get the baby out and drain the sack, she'll suffocate, and the baby will as well!"

"How long before that happens?"

"At the most, three minutes!" Erik said, grabbing the surgical knife from Jessica's hand as Joy carefully cut away Kate's ruined night clothes. Erik was beginning to despair. Moving Kate had caused this new problem, but if he hadn't moved her, she would have bled to death on the hospital floor. He hated the lesser of two evils situations.

Even though they seemed to dominate his life.

Goten watched, the guns limp and forgotten in his hands. With the nurses, it seemed forgotten as well, as they rushed to do everything they could as Erik poised himself to start cutting. _Oh kami, don't let her die…not after all this…_

Even through his rage, the structure chilled Gohan. _My god…it almost looks like it's alive…_

A few seconds later, Goten landed on one of the stone extensions that seemed to extend from everywhere on the mountain range that Vagane had suituated his lab in. He glanced down. _God…can earth naturally be this dark? It's like his presense has stained everything, tainted it with his essence…such evil…it almost seems to match…her…_

A slight _WHOOSH_ filled Gohan's ears as his daughter landed next to him. He looked at her, planning to say something. But in the end, no words came to mind. It had been her mother that Vagane had taken. She had every right to be here.

Videl…

The long trip can caused Gohan to cool slightly, but it took very little for the flame to whip itself back into an inferno.

More slight winds filled the air as the other Z Fighters started arriving, landing behind and near Gohan. Gohan gave them a glance, then turned back to the laboratory, as his anger hit the peak.

"VAGANE!" he suddenly screamed, causing everyone's heads to snap towards Gohan. Even as they looked at him, Gohan's hair flared up into the spiked locks of SSJ2 as he thrust up his hand. Golden energy exploded on his palm and enveloped his fingers as he aimed at the nearest section of the gigantic lab. The air sang with power as Gohan fired his blast, which zapped out and slammed into the building. An explosion filled the quiet air as the blast detonated, spraying out a cloud of rock, dust, and smoke.

"COME OUT VAGANE, YOU BASTARD! COME OUT AND I SWEAR I'LL KILL YOU RATHER PAINLESSLY!" Gohan screamed, even though in his heart he knew he was lying. His hand glowed and another golden ki blast shot from it, detonating another section of the laboratory.

"YOU FUCKING COWARD!" Gohan screamed, firing another ki blast and blowing up another section of the lab. Everyone stared at Gohan, their own anger temporarily forgotten as they watched the furious beast he had become. Even Pan was a bit scared at how angry her Dad at become, even though it would only take her a few seconds to recall a rage of equal strength. But for now, his saiya-jin blood boiling in his veins, Gohan was at center stage, as he screamed again and raised his hand to fire another blast.

"Tsk tsk. Such behavior…and I thought you mother tried so hard to teach you manners. I guess your defiance was just late in coming." Chuckled a voice. Everyone froze, especially Gohan, as he looked up and saw his father floating there, wind tossing his hair and the martial arts belt around his waist.

"Toussan…" Gohan whispered, his mind now a confusing boil of emotions. The rage was still there, but now uncertainity was there as well, mixed with confusion and a little fear.

"Kakarott…" Vegeta raged, his ki instinctively beginning to built. Goku ignored his lifelong rival, focussing on his son, a cruel smirk on his face.

"Such language too…your mother would be appalled…she'd probably try and spank you, the domineering bitch. We're lucky you didn't wind up the second coming of Norman Bates. If only I'd know what marriage was, I would have run away the second I met her. No, better yet, I would have blown her away. Your mother never did understand me. Too bad for her. He was never good enough for me."

"No…you don't mean that…it's not true…that's not you…!"

"Oh, I think this is the true me, Gohan. I finally see it clearly. Everything. Vagane is not a lunatic. He is a visionary…with views you could never understand. He blessed me with them…and never have I seen more clearly. You can't hope to understand that. Which is why you'll end up on the wrong side." Goku chuckled. Gohan goggled. He'd seen this before, but he still couldn't believe that his father had been warped into what he saw before him. It just didn't seem possible.

How could fate be so cruel?

"KAKAROTT!" Vegeta suddenly yelled, floating up into the air as his hair flared and went SSJ. As Vegeta drew level with Goku, Goku looked up at him.

"Yes, "my prince"?" Goku said mockingly. For some reason, Vegeta smirked, a familiar one-sided smirk.

"I know the truth, Kakarott. You didn't beat me. You stabbed me in the back. Vagane was aiding you somehow, dampening my power. But he's not here now, Kakarott! And that will prove fatal for you! I will show you the true meaning of viciousness, your third-class baka!"

Goku smirked again, and then he lifted his hands and began to mockingly clap.

"Bravo, bravo. It appears I didn't kill all your brain cells after beating you so many times, Vegeta. Yes, I will admit it. Vagane did not take your power lightly when he learned of it, and he spent much time studying it along with you. When I fought you however, he had developed a solution. Within his chair lurked a small generator that powered a device he created, one that dampens ki powers. Not that knowing that will do you any good."

Vegeta ground his teeth.

"Maybe not, but it will do you harm, Kakarott! THE CHAIR AIN'T HERE NOW! SO PREPARE TO TASTE MY WRATH!" Vegeta screamed, and zapped at Goku.

Goku didn't block.

He didn't dodge.

He didn't even move.

Instead, he calmly reached under his gi and withdrew a small device that looked like a modified walkie-talkie, on which lurked one lone small blue button. Almost with a bored attitude, he pressed it.

And suddenly Vegeta found himself falling, the sense of weightlessness torn from him in an instant. His eyes widened as he saw the ground heading towards him.

"TOUSSAN!" Trunks and Bra cried in unison, and both leapt to save him.

And found themselves slamming right into the ground after going a few feet. With no one to save him, Vegeta's eyes widened even more as the ground rushed up to meet him.

"NO!"

He hit the ground hard, the rough cold black stone sending jackhammers of pain shooting through his legs, arms, and midsection. Even his fillings seemed to hurt.

"Father…no…"Bra gasped as she saw her father spawled on the ground, even as a more horrifying realization came to her. It was coming to all the Z Fighters as well, as they sensed it.

Or rather, could not longer sense it. A huge part of all of them had been torn away, leaving only a gaping void, as Goku floated down to Vegeta, who was trying, despite his numerous injuries from the fall, to get to his feet.

"As you said, Vegeta, the chair "ain't here". Yes, Vagane's small, personel dampening device is not in the area. However, you are standing on Vagane's base…a base he took the precaution of equiping with a far larger, more sophisticated device then the one he had in his chair. It doesn't just dampen your ki powers. It blocks them. Completely. I just decided that now was a good time to turn it on."

Now it was coming to them. Vagane had indeed lured them into a trap. And they had willingly gone into it.

And there was no one more obvious to this then Vegeta, as he spat blood. On unsteady feet, he looked up as Goku as he stood before him, arms crossed lazily, the device held in one hand.

"Kakarott…" Vegeta choked, every breath causing pain to shoot through him. "What honour is in this? How can one truly battle as a saiya-jin like this? This defeats the whole purpose of the reason we crave the battlefield…it is not your way!"

Goku smirked, and then suddenly his hand came crashing down on Vegeta's right shoulder in a grip of steel. Vegeta screamed as Goku's clamp broke his clavacle, and then he was driven to his knees by Goku's incredible strength. It was true, he didn't have any power at all. He was as helpless as a baby.

Smirking, Goku crushed the remote in his hand.

"I have no way. I live to serve Vagane, and Vagane wishes your destruction. He changed his mind last time, deciding to let you live with the humilation of your defeat for his amusement, but he is no longer amused. He wants you all destroyed…and I will obey. And take great joy in it…for the irony is quite delicious. The great Vegeta, the great Z Warriors, utterly powerless! I would say you have become far worse then I, a "third-class weakling", as you put it so many times. You have become human. I am the prince now, Vegeta. KNEEL!" Goku laughed, forcing Vegeta downward. Vegeta's rage exploded, and he somehow found the strength to yank away from Goku's grip and punch him in the stomach.

It didn't do anything. In fact it was detrimental, as pain raced down Vegeta's arm. He felt like he had punched a brick wall. But that didn't stop him, as he fired punch after punch into Goku's stomach and chest. Goku smiled and took the blows, as Vegeta hammered on him, and kept doing it until his breath was ragged in his lungs and his arms felt like leaden weights. Finally, he could punch no more, and he stared at Goku. He hadn't been affected at all.

"Quite effective, isn't it? Those punches could have once shattered steel…now I can't even feel them. The ease in this almost makes it boring…but I take joy where I can get it." Goku smirked, his eyes shining with cruelty. "My turn."

The blow sent Vegeta flying backwards, blood gouting from his face as he zapped past the Z Fighters, who had stood, frozen in horror and disbelief, as Vegeta had tried to hurt Goku. Vegeta sank to the ground, his pain now increased tenfold and his pride a shattered ruin.

"Father!" Bra said, running to Vegeta's side. "Oh god…Trunks, what are we going to do?"

Trunks looked scared, but he also looked determained, as he scooped up his father's limp body.

"WE RUN! This device has to have a range limit! We get outside it!" Trunks said, and broke for it.

The Z Warriors looked after him, and then they all started running. They didn't have a choice, even though it pained them. They could make a stand once they were no longer in a place where any stand they made would be pointless.

Goku stood, snickering.

"Oh yes…this device does have a range limit…"

Then Goku blurred away, and Trunks stopped dead as he appeared in front of them. Goku smiled cruelly.

"But what makes you think I'm going to let you get away?"

Goten stared in horror, wanting to tell Erik to slow down, as the cyborg sliced through layer after layer of muscle and tissue in the manner of a high-powered weed whacker.

Erik didn't know of Goten's worries, as he had his own problems. The human arm was meant to cut either carefully or quickly, and one them tended to suffer if they were combined. Erik couldn't afford any errors, but he couldn't slow down either. Any second wasted was another hoarde of brain cells dead from lack of oxygen, and a step farther into the darkness that was trying to consume Kate.

The outside of the hospital stood in silence, watching in horror and some amazement. Despite the nature of the situation, they couldn't help but be amazed that the man was actually trying to deliver the baby with the skill of any surgeon.

"Come on, come on…" Erik cursed, as he thrust aside another layer of muscle and the nurses tied it back. He was grateful he had aquired their services, and even more grateful they were aiding him with their skills. Whether he had convinced them or they wanted to help the girl themselves, Erik didn't know. He was wholly focussed on his task at hand.

And then, he was there, as he saw the small, delicate body encased in a sack that had maintained its life and yet was now draining the same life from the baby's mother. With a quick slice, Erik cut through the material.

"Suction! Get this fluid out of her!" Erik yelled, as he put the scalpal aside and lifted the fetus out. Goten marveled at the small body Erik was now holding in his hands. He felt like patting Erik on the back.

Then he saw the expression on Erik's face, and knew the time for celebration was not then.

"Shit…" Erik cursed as he looked apon the fetus's dark pallor. It had gone a dangerously long time without oxygen, and Erik could sense the little life it had fading rapidly. "JOY!"

Erik didn't need to say anything else, as Joy took the child from him. In a blur of motion, Erik tied off and cut the cord, and Joy took the baby away to another corner of the room. Erik took a deep breath, as Goten looked at him.

"What's wrong?" Goten asked.

"Baby's not breathing. Joy's trying to revive it …but the fetus is so delicate…just a short time…I just hope…"

A rapid beeping emitting from the monitors attached to Kate suddenly grabbed Erik's attention. He looked at them and his heart plunged.

"SHIT!" Erik cursed. He'd been a fool. He'd been so busy trying to save the baby that he had forgotten the original problem, the haemorrhage. The whole time Erik had been operating, blood had continued to leak from Kate's genatalia, and the surgery had caused her to lose even more. Jessica had been giving her blood, but it had been pumping out of her faster then it was coming in, and the body had finally had it as the heart began to fail.

The beeping intensified and became more frantic as Erik hurridly lifted up Kate's legs and tried to block the flow of blood from within her. Goten stood, feeling worthless and sick.

Then the beep trailed off into a single loud high-pitched tone. A flatline.

"GODDAMNIT!" Erik cursed, moving up to Kate and furiously beginning CPR. The flatline persisted. Goten barely felt the guns drop from his fingers.

"Paddles!" Erik yelled, and Jessica rapidly handed him the twin devices. "Charge to 150! CLEAR!" 

Kate's body jerked as the electricity zapped through her. The meter spiked, then continued back into the straight line as the single long beep again filled the room.

"A gram of epi! Charge to 300! CLEAR!" Erik said, and again pressed the paddles again Kate's chest.

Her body bounced. The flatline persisted.

"Another gram of epi! Charge to 360! CLEAR!"

ZAP! The flatline went on. It seemed to permute the whole room.

"Two grams of epi." Erik was saying. Jessica's eyes widened.

"Sir, that's danger…!"

"DO IT!" Erik screamed. Jessica listened.

Goten and everyone outside prayed.

"360 again. CLEAR!" Erik yelled, and pressed the paddles against Kate's chest.

ZAP!

The flatline held.

And then, Erik's body seemed to lose all the strength in it, as his shoulders slumped and his arms, still holding the paddles, dropped to his side. Goten felt his heart sink. _No…_

Erik lowered his head, not wanting to look at Kate's ravaged body, at her blood all over him. He thought he had won. He thought he had yanked Kate from the darkness that fate had put her in.

But once the darkness had you, it rarely wanted to let go. And humans could only hang on for so long.

He'd failed.

"…………………………Time of death……..1:39 AM." Erik said in a dead tone, looking up at the clock. He looked over to Joy, hoping against hope.

Joy shook her head sadly. Erik almost fell to his knees. His failure was complete.

"……..Same for the baby." Erik said in the same tone. He looked at Kate.

"I'm sorry……..I'm so sorry…" Erik whispered. 

And then he headed for the door. Goten and the nurses stared after him, and then Goten began to follow him, the guns left behind and forgotten.

The people parted like the sea as Erik came out of the room, not knowing what to make of him. Then they saw his eyes, and they knew.

Erik approached Micheal and Kate's husband, not knowing what to say. Micheal looked numb, the realization just starting to hit him. Kate's unnamed husband stared at Erik, with a kind of depesperate hope in his eyes. Erik knew the look. The man was trying to still believe that his wife was alive…a belief that wouldn't waver until Erik shattered it.

In the end, Erik didn't have to say a thing. The man looked into Erik's face, and then he broke down in tears, grabbing his father in law and crying on his shoulder. It was rather an awkward moment, but the man was too consumed by grief to care.

Michea understood, holding his son in law as he looked at Erik, a million emotions raging within him and wondering which one he should let win.

Then Erik spoke.

"I'm sorry…I made a promise and I failed…I failed you…I'm so sorry…so sorry…" Erik said. Goten winced at the tone. It was the tone of a man who had failed, and the pain was so great that it infected everything about the person. Erik had tried to save a life, and his inability to do so was hurting him more then any wound Goten could inflict on him.

Erik felt like the fact he was allowed to meet Micheal's eyes made him dirty. He didn't. He promised this man his daughter's life, and he had lost her. He'd let him down in a way no man deserves to be let down. If Micheal decided to pick up a weapon and bludgeon Erik to death, Erik wouldn't resist at all. He'd failed him.

Just like his family.

Just like all the people who had tried to befriend him in the pre-Change time.

Just like Celeste.

"Please…forgive me…"

Looking into Erik's face, into his eyes filled with sorrow and grief, Micheal wanted to do so many things to it, all of them violent. But the anger faded quickly as he saw into Erik. And he knew. Like Goten, he could see that what Erik was doing to himself was far worse then anything he could do.

Erik awaited the blow. Instead, it was a hand placed calmly on a shoulder.

"….It's not your fault…you tried…thank you." Micheal said, and then turned his attention fully to his son in law. Erik knew Micheal had no more words for him, even as he was surprised that Micheal had understood, and even thanked Erik for his effort.

It didn't make him feel any better though, and with that Erik moved on past him. The grouped people parted from him as he walked down the hall, slowly stripping off his blood-soaked surgical gloves and dropping them on the floor in a gesture of defeat. Behind Erik, Goten followed him, trying to find words that could bring comfort to Erik's tormented soul.

He knew there were none. But he tried anyway.

As his son in law continued to cry, Micheal looked up to see one of the nurses approaching. Whether she was approaching him or just heading past him, Micheal never knew.

"Nurse." Micheal said, his voice filled with grief. "Did he cause this?"

With her own kind of sadness in her eyes, Jessica shook her head. She'd seen this before, but the situation somehow made it poignent.

"No…he didn't. He spoke the truth. He knew exactly what he was doing…he knew and he tried to save her…but it was simply too late. If she'd gotten help when she'd come in…maybe…but his efforts, though, valiant, just came too late. He tried to save them…he did…I could see it…I even feel bad for doubting him."

Erik heard none of this as he walked down the hall, Goten following him. His walk was strange, disjointed, almost as if he was limping…or carrying a great load on his shoulders. Goten's heart went out to him.

Erik continued his slow walk, feeling worthless and dirty. _I'm cursed…my face and blood carries the omen of doom. Everyone I loved or tried to help…anyone who was important to me…I've destroyed them….Mom…Dad…Tam…Mari…and Celeste. How much pain, how much suffering did she endure because I cursed her with my touch? Why did I ever embark on this mad quest to begin with? Maybe I should have taken my life on their graves…maybe that is all I deserve…_

"THERE YOU ARE!"

Erik's head glanced up, and Goten's look turned from Erik to the voice. His eyes darkened.

It was him. The same doctor who, an eternity ago, had refused to help Kate. Now he was heading down the hallway towards Erik, his stride clearly showing he was angry. Goten could feel his sadness being pushed aside by anger. _What does this asshole want now...?_

"How dare you touch me the way you did! You have no right to it, you piece of shit!" The unnamed doctor yelled as he finally drew close to Erik. Erik was silent, looking at him as he continued to spew venom.

'Do you have ANY idea who I am? Who I know? What I'm capable of!??! Do you think I was near that room to help the people there? That's for the lower doctors and the idiots who think they can make a difference! I wouldn't go near that den of filth and scum if I hadn't had to! And you tried to make me HELP ONE OF THEM? You dare make me try and dirty myself?"

"One of those "dirty" people died because you ignored her. Her baby died too. Why? Why didn't you care?" Erik asked.

"Oh, you'd better stop carry about some dead pregnant whore and start caring about yourself, because you're gonna learn just what happens when you assault me!" the doctor shot back. Goten was utterly appalled at the man's callousness, ignorance, and overall coldness. Not being a private patient who could pay automatically made Kate a whore in his eyes. Goten wondered if the doctor would be thinking the same thing if he'd had to watch Kate die.

And came to the conclusion that nothing would change. The man had set his attitude a long time ago and liked it that way. Goten could see Erik was coming to the same conclusion.

"She was a living human being. She laughed, cried, bled, and everything else you do. How dare you think any less…how dare you…"

"No, HOW DARE YOU! Punching me because I didn't want to help some slut! Well, you're gonna pay for it! I'm gonna sue you for every penny you have, and then I'm gonna have your ass thrown in jail! I know people, and I'll make sure you have a nice long sentence so plenty of people can make you their bitch…!"

And then Goten saw it as Erik suddenly straightened up in a quick snapping motion, his eyes open. Goten could see many emotions in Erik's eyes, including some pity. But one was all consuming.

Rage.

Goten was never sure what happened next, because the speed had been astounding, as Erik suddenly snapped his arm out and slammed it to the side through a glass door. Goten had started at the sudden shattering as Erik smashed his hand right through the material.

Then Goten saw what it was. It was one of the sections sealed away in case of fire, containing a variety of materials to help extinquish the flames or otherwise help, such as an extinguisher, length of hose…

…and an axe.

If the doctor had just stepped back…

Or ducked…

But he didn't, as shock had frozen him still, as Erik yanked the axe from the chamber. Goten saw Erik grip the weapon and the fear in the doctor's eyes as he realized what Erik planned to do.

"Erik…!" Goten screamed.

And then with his own scream, Erik brought the axe up and chopped it into the side of the doctor's neck.

To Goten, the worst thing was that there was no scream. As the doctor's mouth opened as blood gouted from his neck, his brain on fire with pain, Goten could see motion but could hear no sound, as blood sprayed all over the floor and Erik, mixing with the dried blood of Kate.

A combined scream and gasp went up around the hallways as everyone finally realized what Erik had done, even as he yanked the axe from the doctor's neck with a wet ripping noise, brought it back, and with another scream of righteous rage, buried the axe in the left side of the doctor's face.

As bone chips flew, the doctor's body spasmed once and then fell, dropping onto the rear and then falling onto the side. Blood began to form on the floor in a puddle.

The whole process had taken less then two seconds.

Erik stood, not moving, looking down on the doctor's body with disgust, contempt, and saitisfaction. Then he spat on the corpse and moved on, heading towards the exit.

There was a quick one-two series of clicks as the security men suddenly appeared in front of him, guns cocked and ready to fire. They had stood by, unable to do anything when Erik had seemingly first gone nuts. Erik's attempt to save the baby had dropped their guard however, and with the nurse confirming that Erik had not tried to harm the late Kate in any way, they had even considered letting him leave the hospital.

Then the doctor, blind with anger and hurting from damaged pride, had made the mistake of confronting the distraught Erik and heaping scorn on him and his efforts. It had proved to be fatal for him, and suddenly the security found they once again had to regard Erik as an enemy. They could disallow an unknown man trying to deliver a baby, but they couldn't walk away from a clear first-degree murder.

"Ok buddy, don't move." One of them said, in a calm yet firm tone. His partner glanced sideways at him, at the same time making a slight noise in his throat that said "Careful! We don't want to set him off. Let me do the talking."

"Ok buddy…just stay calm…we know how you feel…you tried to help that woman…we'll make sure the courts know that…just don't hurt anyone else, for your sake."

Erik had lowered his hand, his hair now laced with drying blood. He appeared to be staring at the floor. Behind him, Goten stared himself, feeling helpless. He didn't know what to do.

Then Erik spoke, in a low quiet tone.

"Get out of my way."

"Sir…with all due respect, we saw you kill that man, we just can't let you walk out of the…"

Then Erik's head snapped up, his eyes ablaze.

"**_I SAID, GET OUT OF MY WAY!"_**

And then the FS-X on Erik's hand and arm shredded as his talons shot out, even as it drew away from the left side of his face, exposing cold metal and a burning red eye. The backlash of force hit Goten a second later, lancing through his head. It wasn't ki…but it was certainly powerful…almost…sinister, and it was radiating from within Erik.

Then the hospital began to shake, as black energy exploded around Erik and enveloped him like the ki battle aura Goten had worn many times. Small pieces of the panel underneath Erik's feet began to break off and float upward from the force Erik was giving off. Goten gaped. _Jesus…is this the power of Erik's world…or is it something else?_

The guards stared in horror. Within seconds the man they had tried to detain had somehow turned himself into a monster straight from their nightmares. Fear racing through their veins, they dropped their weapons and stood aside. A spreading match of darkness appeared at the crotch of one of the guard's pants.

"Thank you." Erik said, glancing back behind him at the corpse of the doctor. Goten could see the contempt radiating from his eyes.

"He earned his fate. He had a chance to walk away, but he was too much of a fool to take it. I would recommend you learn from his failure…hence I go after you." Erik said. "Come Goten. We must go."

And with that, Erik calmly walked out of the same door he had entered seemingly an eternity ago. Goten suddenly found dozens of people staring at him, most still terrified and looking for answers.

Goten gave none, headind out after Erik and leaving the hospital behind. It reeked of death, both the undeserved and the justified.

Trunks stared in horror, not knowing what to do, as Goku calmly and joyfully cut down his former friends one by one, reveling in their total loss of power. Trunks knew the block was complete. He couldn't do anything at all. His repeated attempts to summon strength, any strength at all, had met with failure. He had lost everything.

And now Goku was stepping on them like bugs, blurring before the warrirors as they tried to flee and smashing with with an errant blow that probably didn't even use a fraction of Goku's strength.

"That was for trying to rob me as a kid." Goku said cruelly as he smashed Yamcha aside into a rock face. "That was for beating me in the 22nd TB." Goku said as he smashed Tien next to Yamcha. "And you're a midget and a mime, I never liked either." Chaozu was deposited next to the humans as Goku advanced on Krillian, Eighteen, and Seventeen.

"You cheated when we tried to both train under Master Roshi, causing me to miss dinner." Goku said, smashing Krillian aside. Eighteen cried out, but Goku quickly hit her as well. Her brother quickly joined her.

"You two tried to kill me. Nuff said. And speaking of killing me…" Goku chuckled, blurring in front of Piccolo. Despite the situation, Piccolo showed no fear. He wouldn't let Vagane have that saitisfaction.

Because in the end, that was who was brutalizing them. The body of Son Goku may have been inflicting the blows, but the mind was that of the mad doctor.

"I can't forget about you, can I, "GREAT DEMON KING?" Goku mocked. With a pistoning blow, Piccolo was smashed aside.

"I thought you would make a great pupil. How wrong I was." Goku said as he smashed Ubuu aside and began to approach Pan, who looked like she wanted to cry, her anger forgotten.

"Grandpa…please."

"You were an annoying brat." Goku said without hesitation, and Pan screamed as Goku sideswiped her, tossing her into a rock face as he approached Gohan. "But I'm not surprised. She came from you. You! You let me die because you didn't want to fight, because you refused to unleash your true power! After all the effort I put into you, after all the time I spent trying to remove your mother's influence, you turned out to be a pussy anyway!"

"You're not my father." Gohan said. Goku smirked and then backhanded his son, sending him spawling next to his daughter.

"Such disrespect. All of you. All claiming to be my friends. How many have you abused me, used me, or outright tried to kill me! And none of them were worse then you, Vegeta." Goku said as he came to where Vegeta was lying, Trunks and Bra standing before him in a futile effort of protection. Goku smirked and raised his hand as black energy exploded onto being and enveloped it.

"So you shall die first. Any last words?" Goku asked, smirking cruelly.

**__**

Yeah, HEADS UP ASSHOLE!

Then the energy blast smashed into the side of Goku's head. Goku wasn't staggered at all, slowly turning his head to look at where it had come from.

Standing aboard the back of a majestic dragon, the Legacy looked down on Son Goku, weapons drawn and ready. At the forefront of them, Ash stood, trying to hid his disbelief that Goku had taken one of his Aura Blasts and hadn't even blinked behind a mask of anger and would-be heroism.

Goku reached up and felt the side of his head.

"You messed up my hair." He said.

"I plan to mess up a lot more then that! As you might of guessed, your little machine doesn't block our abilities! So if you don't mind, I think I'll give you a new do! How about a complete part right down the middle?" Ash yelled, and leapt upward, bringing up the Soulfire as red energy exploded onto being onto it, falling down towards Goku as he stood and watched.

"SLAUGHTER…"

Then in a blur of motion, Goku's hand snapped up and Ash found himself crashing to the ground as he caught Ash's blade in mid-slash and dumped him onto the ground.

**__**

I told you bad things happen when you try and make the bad jokes! And do you have any idea where he grabbed me?

"Foolish child. You think your power is anything? I have more power in my pinkie then you ever will. Your stand is utterly futile."

Snarling, Ash flipped onto his feet and brought up the Soulfire. Goku smiled diabolically.

"Ok. I'll play it your way." Goku chuckled, and brought up his right forefinger, black energy suddenly encasing it. "Hit me, little boy."

Ash did just that, going into a fury of sword slashes. The smirk never wavering, Goku moved his hand up and down and blocked every single slash with his finger.

**__**

Come on Ash! Hit him! He's standing right in front of you! HIT HIM! HIT HIM! Rah rah rah and all that crap!

Ash wanted to tell his sword to shut up, but he was too focussed on trying to break through Goku's guard. But as the exhaustion began to build in him, Ash realized that Goku wasn't faltering at all. Finally, Ash couldn't slash anymore, his sword dropping down as his shoulders heaved up in down as he drew in long breathes…

**__**

Dammit…uhhhhhhh…well, your finger is gonna feel that in the morning!

"Shut up, you blasted sword." Goku said. Ash looked up, defiance in his face.

"Take your best shot."

Goku smirked and then his fist came slashing out, slamming right into Ash's chest and sending him flying backwards twenty feet before he smashed into a rock face. He gasped and then spat up blood. If he hadn't been wearing armour, the blow would have surely killed him, and even with it, he felt like he was dying anyway.

**__**

Hey Ash, welcome to Idiotville. Population: YOU!

"God…such power…how on earth am I gonna defeat him…he's as strong as Xaxargas and he hasn't even powered up…" Ash spat, trying to get to his feet. The Legacy watched in stunned horror at how Goku had manhandled their leader.

**__**

What are we gonna do? WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO? I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE!

"Soulfire, you're 70,000 years old."

**__**

You insensitive jerk! How dare you be so callous in revealing my age!

"Excuse me, are you going to keep argueing with your weapon, or are you going to let me humilate you some more?" Goku catcalled. Ash spat. He wanted nothing more then to shut Goku up. But he feared it lacked the strength.

**__**

Well, lessee…hitting him doesn't seem to work…maybe I can annoy him to death! Hey Buddy! You know why they call you SON Goku? Because I'm gonna be your daddy! You hear me! I'm gonna be your daddy!

"Oh really? How?" Goku smirked.

**__**

Because I got the Three I's! Intensity, Integrity, and Intelligence! It's true! It's damn true!

Goku snapped out his arm and a black ki blast fired from it. Ash's eyes widened as it flew towards him and struck the Soulfire. The explosion knocked Ash over, and he pushed himself back up as the smoke cleared to reveal the Soulfire, smoking and blackened with soot.

**__**

Ow…I'd like to add another I: Incredibly Strong Pain. And THAT is true. Waiter, check please! I wanna go home!

"Ready to give up, Ash?" Goku sneered. Ash looked down on his sword, then looked back up at Goku.

"I'll never give up!"

"Then I have no choice but to kill you. Wait, I was gonna do that anyway." Goku chuckled, and extended his hand.

Then he yelled as four blasts of power slammed into him simultaneously, staggering him. Goku turned to his to find the Legacy wasn't just watching anymore. 

They were on the assault.

Goten found Erik several blocks away from the hospital, standing on the roof edge, bathed in moonlight. He appeared to be in deep thought.

"There you are." Goten said, landing next to Erik. Erik glanced over to Goten.

"It was a boy." Erik said bitterly, and then looked back out onto the street. Goten stared, and then it started pouring out.

"Erik, what the hell were you thinking!?!?!? You just grabbed that axe and…that was…that was…insane! You killed him!"  
"You are quite observant, Goten. What is the point?"  
"The point!?!??!?!…..Erik, you just killed a man!"

"As I have many times. It is hardly a new occasion for me."

"But…the way…the reason…that was just…just…just…"

Then Erik whirled, and Goten could see the anger in him.

"What, Goten? Insane? Unpractical? Inhumane? Oh no Goten. That was justice! That was just part of the eternal purge of the Corrupt from the ranks of humanity! I did the world a favour, Goten."

"A favour? But…"

"Let me ask you something Goten. Do you know what makes a man inhumane, what makes him commit true atrocities? Hate? Fear? Lack of information? No Goten. Hate is usually fueled by the other two, and in the rare cases when it is genuine, it is invariably justified. Is a man inhuman because he is afraid? No. Is a man inhuman because he doesn't know the whole story? No. But what you saw Goten…that is what inhumanity is born from. Indifference. The total lack of any kind of caring at all."

Goten was silent, unable to say anything else.

"You saw it Goten. He saw that girl bleeding on the floor, and if I hadn't confronted him, he would have just turned his back and walked away. He thought she was garbage. He didn't hate her. He didn't fear her. He didn't know everything about her. He just didn't care. Just like the way Agony murders. Just like the way Vagane does. To kill for the sake of killing, or to meet an insane agenda, or just because you don't care, the disregard for life is the same. That is inhumanity, Goten. Indifference. And I will not stand by and let it live on to commit new crimes. I took the name Vengeance for that reason, Goten. And for Kate, I claimed it. I hope that wherever she is, it gave her peace."

Erik turned, ready to leave. But Goten wasn't done.

"So that's it? Just cut him down like that? How do you know, Erik? Maybe he had a wife and kid who loved him, and he loved them too! Maybe he had friends who care about him, and who he cares about! Hell, maybe he even has a sick mother or something! But did that even occur to you, Erik? Or could all you see was his evil in walking away from Kate? He may have murdered her indirectly Erik, but if you cut them all down like that, with as little regard as he paid for Kate, you're no better then him! You're no better then any of them!"

Erik turned again, and then he raised his metal fingers, moonlight shining off them. For a second Goten though Erik was going to attack him.

But in the end, he just spoke one sentence.

"Goten…I never said I was."

And with that Erik turned and leapt off to the building to the next one, vanishing into the shadows. Goten stared after him. He understood what Erik was saying. To keep his sanity, Erik had long ago divided his view into clear sections of black and white, and he didn't waver from them at all. He couldn't.

__

Don't try to blur them into shades of grey, Goten. For his sake…and yours.

Looking up, Goten blinked as he saw Capsole Corps on the horizon. _I came with him on his trip back so I could tell him my ideas in private…now I know far too much about him…perhaps it is best if I leave the decisions of life and death up to him…and just hope it doesn't damn him…if anything, he doesn't deserve that._

He'd cut the doctor down like an animal.

But that doctor had sealed his own fate.

__

No. He doesn't deserve it…I just hope to kami I'm right…

Erik knew something wasn't right the instant he set foot back into Capsole Corps. The atmosphere was too quiet, and yet at the same time, extremely tense.

Goten entered in the door had used, and he also immediately stopped. He felt it too.

"What's going on?" Goten asked.

"I don't know…where is everyone?"

"Erik, Goten, at last you came back!"

Erik turned his head to see Master Roshi heading towards them, deep lines of worry and dread creasing his already lined face.

"Roshi…what's wrong?" Erik said, his heart filling with dire feelings.

"Just follow me! I'll explain along the way!" Roshi said.

Erik did so, and Roshi did his best to simplify all the events that had led to the Z Warriors and the Legacy going off after Vagane. Erik's face grew darker and darker as Roshi went on. Once again, it seemed like an eternity, and yet an instant, when Roshi reached the main computer room where Bulma and Mr. Satan still were.

"My kami." Goten said as he looked at the huge hole in the wall. "Roshi was right. They must have been utterly furious."

"After all I saw, I don't blame them." Bulma said, walking towards the two men. Erik's look scared her, but she did it anyway. She quickly filled in Erik and Goten on everything else.

"That bastard…that motherfucking bastard…" Goten cursed, his hands curling into fists as his eyes flashed green. If Videl was being tormented, then Marron…_I'll kill him! I'll rip him apart with my bare hands!_

"This is my fault." Eik said, his voice low and dripping with rage. "Vagane did this to get to me. All those innocent lives…he knew I would come after him. I knew I couldn't stand down…all those lives to lure me in…"

"Right into a trap." Bulma finished. Now her face was filled with worry.

"I started scanning my friends and yours almost the second after they left…something's very wrong. They all reached a certain place…and then suddenly, they all seemed to disappear."

Erik looked over. _No…_

"Are they…?"  
"No. I was originally tracking by ki signatures, but when they all vanished I panicked and switched to vital signs. I'm reading them by those now. They're all still alive…but when I tried to line up ki signatures with vital signs…I couldn't. It's like…like…"

"They don't have any power at all?" Erik asked. Bulma nodded. Erik cursed inwardly.

"I should have known. My theory that Vagane was cheating at Satan City is true, and it's even worse then I thought. He lured them in and turned off their powers…he planned to use me to accomplish this…" _How long has he been studying the Z Warriors to have learned so much about them that he figured out a way to do this…what fate have a damned them to by ever encountering Agony all those months ago...?_

"What about my sister and my allies?" Erik asked. The worry lines increased on Bulma's face.

"I managed to pick them up…but something else worries me far more. Your friends don't use ki, so I couldn't attach a signature to them…but I could for one person. Only one of them still has a ki signature and life sign...it's Goku. He's fighting with them."

"Shit…" Erik cursed, beginning to despair. _For all their power…they're no match for Goku…and with all the Z Warriors down…_

"What are we going to do?" Goten asked, his tone frantic.

"We go after them."

Everyone turned as Celeste walked through the doorway, trailed by Buu and Diana. Erik's eyes widened slightly.

"Celeste, you're…ok."

"You got that right." Celeste said, and indeed, the woman no longer had a scratch on her. Even her outfit was patched up. Erik looked over to Diana.

"Diana…"

"Save your thanks, Erik. It wasn't me. It was him." Diana said, pointing to Buu, who smiled broadly. Erik looked at the fat creature.

"Buu…why didn't you go with the others?"

"I was telling Celeste a story, and I wanted to finish it!" Buu replied cheerily. Behind Erik, Gohan facevaulted.

"Yeah, and midway through the story he remembered that he had the ability to heal people using his forelock. And it's a great healing talent. I feel better then ever." Celeste said, flexing her arms and legs. Erik goggled at Buu.

"You can heal people so quickly and completely, and you FORGOT you could do that? How…?"

Buu shrugged.

"I've got a bad memory." Buu replied. This time Erik nearly facevaulted.

"Well, that settles it. Celeste is right, we have to go in." Goten said.

"But Goten, if you go in your abilities will surely be blocked too! You'll be as helpless as the rest of them!" Bulma said. Erik turned to her.

"We don't have a choice! We have to go in and rescue them, or they're dead for sure! Once we've pulled out, we can think of the future, but for now, we have to get to them quickly! Buu, can you fly us there?"

"Sure!"

"Right, Bulma, where's the location?"

Bulma told Erik.

"Thank you. Let's go." Erik said, heading towards Celeste and Buu. A quick thought hit him, and he reached into his outfit and withdrew the Ruined Soul daggers.

"These are yours." Erik said, handing them back to Celeste. Despite the situation, Celeste looked happy.

"Thank you." She said. Goten cocked his head, looking at the dark-haired woman, and watching how after handing her the daggers Erik barely glanced at her again, heading over to Buu. Goten looked back at Celeste.

__

My…does he even realize the way she's looking at him…but I can save that for later!

"Goten!" Erik suddenly said, and Goten jumped as Erik motioned to him. He flew over, wondering if Erik had somehow read his mind.

"Something just occurred to me." Erik said, and outlined his plan quickly. Despite the situation, Goten smiled.

"I think that might just work." Goten said.

"I pray it does. I don't think we'll be able to escape Vagane's grasp otherwise." Erik said, as he began to climb on Buu's back. _I hope to god Vagane's arrogance has transitioned to Goku and he decides to toy with them instead of taking them seriously. But if I'd been here I would have surely done the same thing Gohan did and lured them all into Vagane's grasp. His mistake would have been mine, even if I never made it. But even so, I will try and rectify it. Hang on guys, I'm coming!_

Brigh was doing his best to hang on. Goku's back that was.

He'd thought for sure he'd had it when he'd teleported behind Goku as he floated in the air, randomly firing ki blasts at the Legacy members who were trying to attack him, forcing them to scatter. Once he'd accomplished that, he'd tried to put a dagger right through the back of Goku's neck.

But somehow, Goku had known, and he had shifted in mid-air. His dagger thrust now useless, Brigh had clamped onto Goku's back to try and set up another stab.

That lasted about two seconds before Goku slammed his head back right into the middle of Brigh's face, knocking him silly. His limp body fell off and crashed onto the ground ten feet below.

"Damn, he has a hard head…" Brigh groaned.

Goku glanced downward and suddenly he found himself bathed in fire. He flinched, and then looked downward again where Chastity was standing, her arms up as she poured fire against him. Goku smirked and began floating down, oblivious to Chastity's attack.

"The fuck…no matter how much flame I throw on this guy he doesn't even seem to register it!" Chastity cursed as Goku landed in front of her. Furious, Chastity switched the fire off and snapped her whip out, sending the barbed length at Goku's head.

Goku snapped his arm up and the whip wrapped around it. Goku set his legs and yanked, sending Chastity flying towards him.

Right into his fist. Chastity gasped in agony as Goku's punched her in the stomach, and then Goku snapped his leg up and kicked her in the head, sending her flying backwards. He raised his still clenched fist, enjoying the lingering feeling of Chastity's bare skin against his knuckles, ore more precisely, the way it had contorted and warped from his blow.

Then a clawed hand swung at him. Goku dodged to the side as Lindsay swiped at him again, ducked as she kicked at his head, and then jumped up slightly as she tried to sweep his legs out.

"You call that fast?" Goku mocked.

Lindsay didn't see the punch, but she felt it, as the front of her chest plate shattered as Goku kicked her, bouncing her along the ground before she finally came to rest to where Krillian, his wife, and his brother in law were crouched, watching the fight.

"You ok?" Krillian asked.

"I've had worse." Lindsay lied, and promptly passed out.

Goku was barely done dealing with Lindsay when there was a conbined yell of two males and Rod and William leapt at him, their massive blades sweeping back to cleave Goku into pieces.

Goku snapped up his arms and the swords slammed against them, stopping dead.

"Ki shields are a bitch, ain't they?" Goku said, then opened his palms and fired twin ki blasts, sending the two men flying backwards. Rod hit another rock face, while William crashed next to Vegeta and his children.

"Worry not, M'lady. I will not let this scoundral get his filthy hands on you or your father!" William said as he struggled to his feet, his armour seared and damaged. Vegeta, who had come groggily back to life, glanced at his son.

"What did he say?"

Trunks shrugged.

Goku was brushing himself off when the bladestaff suddenly lanced at his head. Goku snapped his head to the side and the weapon flew past him, spiralling around and back into Christine's hand as she stood, helping an injured Ash. Goku chuckled.

"Oh, the loving couple. Till DEATH DO YOU PART!" Goku yelled, and fired a black ki ball at the two.

The couple brought up their weapons, crossing them and holding them in front of each other, as the ball slammed into them. The strain from the ball's power was clear on their faces, but their weapons held before they simultaneously thrust them up, sending the ball up and off into the distance. The ground rumbled from the explosion. Goku smirked.

"Oh, you blocked it."

Goku brought his hand up, palm up, and a black ki ball exploded into being above it and began to grow until it was the size of a house.

"Block _this._"

Goku never got a chance to throw the ball though, as the ground around his feet suddenly exploded. Goku made a noise of annoyance as he fell into the earth up to his waist, his concentration lost and his attack disipating. Growling, he pulled himself up and out.

Then he snapped his hand up as he caught a bullet aimed at his face. Lowering his hand, his composure returned, as he smirked at Paul, who had blown up the ground around him and fired the bullet, looked down his gun with some worry.

"You caught the bullet. Ok, let's see just how many bullets you can catch!"

The barrel of the Flatliner twisted and warped, forming into the six prongs of a mini gun. With a loud chattering noise Paul opened fire, steel-jacketed hollowpoints tearing up the ground and surrounding rock faces. Various Z Warriors and Legacy members dove for cover.

Goku didn't even waver, as he blurred through the storm of bullets, each one missing him by a mile, as Paul tried to get a bead on him in a futile effort.

Then the ammo ran out.

Smirking, Goku blurred in front of Paul, and before Paul could switch to another ammo type Goku had grabbed the barrel of his gun and thrust it aside, holding it up and away from Paul. Goku chuckled.

"I believe that movie put it best. Only human." Goku quoted.

Then there was a blur of movement, and Goku suddenly had the barrel of a small pistol pressed against his shoulder.

"Likewise, DODGE THIS!"

Goku yelled as he felt the projectile rip into his shoulder, even as Paul tossed the small pistol aside and re-cocked the Flatliner. Goku snarled. The pain nor injury wasn't bad, but the fact that Paul had actually managed to shoot him was ten times worse then anything else the boy could have used.

"What the hell was the purpose of that, boy? Do you want me to kill you painfully, because I certainly plan to now!" Goku roared.

"That was to implant you with my tracker. It's the first step to my Copycat bullets. Once one of them hits the target, THEY ALL DO!"

And then Paul opened fire again. With some annoyance, Goku blurred away. He'd had enough. Now he was going to…

Then his eyes widened as he found himself staring down a wealth of bullets again. He blurred away again.

And found the same thing. Cursing, he blurred away once more, much higher up in the sky. He couldn't believe it, the bullets were tracking him!

Goku blurred away several more times, but the bullets kept finding him, even as more and more were added to their number as Paul continued to fire. Goku could feel the anger building within him. The boy was making a fool out of him with a glorified peashooter!

"ARGH! I'VE HAD ENOUGH!' Goku screamed, and thrust his hand out, vaporizing one group of bullets with a ki blast. More came at him, and he turned and vaporized them too, firing a wealth of ki blasts everywhere as he tried to destroy all the projectiles. Explosions rocked the ground in and around the fallen Z Warriors and Legacy members, but Paul held his ground, continuing to fire.

"Dammit!" Goku cursed as he continued to vaporized bullets. "You have to run out of ammo eventually, and when you do, I'm gonna tear you and all your friends apart with my bare hands."

Then a black blur leapt from the rocks and Goku suddenly found Erik behind him.

"Not on my watch."

Then Erik brough his laced fists down, sending Goku crashing into a rock face, even as Erik began to fall. He landed on a cliff, taking deep breaths. He'd had to use every single ounce of his cyborg strength enhanced with his power to create such a blow, and even then, Erik doubted Goku would be down more then a few seconds.

"Goten, HURRY!"

Trunks looked up as his best friend suddenly scrambled over a rock face, looking tired and scared.

"Goten! What…?"

"Trunks, Erik figured it out! Whatever device Vagane is using, it appears to be programmed by genetic signatures. That's why Goku's not affected!"

"And how does that help us?" Vegeta snarled, trying to get to his feet. "I may have no power, but I'll be damned if I let Kakarott have the last word!"

"No father! You'll die for sure!"

"I would rather die then…!"

"VEGETA, SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Goten screamed. Vegeta looked at Goten with wide eyes, unable to believe that Goten had actually done that. Goten turned back to Trunks.

"Trunks, as I was saying. Vagane must have the genetic signatures of both you and me…but he might have the signatures of BOTH of us, know what I mean?"

A grin suddenly appeared on Trunks's face.

"I do! It's worth a shot!"

Then a scream of rage filled the air as power exploded outward from where Goku was buried. Goten looked at the spot in horror, and then turned back to Trunks.

"Trunks, HURRY! We don't have much time!"

As Goten and Trunks took their position, Goku rose up from the ground, his outfit torn. He couldn't believe that Erik had managed to hit him so hard, but that didn't matter. He was through playing around. Even if he nuked half of Vagane's base in the process, he was going to kill every last one of the insects who had held him down, abused him, and outright used him during his life.

Then he heard the cry.

"FUUUUUUUUUUUUU-SION! HA!"

Goku turned as the bright light exploded up from the ground. Goku shielded his eyes until the light began to fade.

And in the eye of the hurricane, as magical power flowed and coursed through two beings as they combined to form one, Goten and Trunjs could feel the power, surging back within them. One truly cannot appreciate something, no matter how important it may seem, until it is taken away.

__

Come on Trunks! We have to push ourselves to the utter limit! Our powers are back and combining, WE HAVE TO GO TO THE VERY PEAK!

I'm up to it Goten! I…I…I…

The light faded, and everyone looked in shock at the new figure standing on the torn-up ground.

"HEY HEY HEY! I'M BACK AND BETTER THEN EVER!" Gotenks crowed, as his tail lashed around him. Goku couldn't believe it. Not only had Vagane not programmed his device to block Gotenks's power, but in the transformation, somehow, by some means, Gotenks had managed to transform into an SSJ4.

And he was loving it, as he crowed to the sky in the triumph of ascending to that level. He wore blue pants and red boots, and his hair extended down to his waist, along with the deep brown-red fur that sprouted on his chest and arms.

"Well little man, it is booty kicking time, as I, Gotenks, will…"

"OH JUST SHUT UP!" Goku yelled, and fired a ki blast at Gotenks. Gotenks reared back his arm and easily whacked it off into the distance.

"Fine. I will. NOT!" Gotenks yelled, and blasted up at Goku. Goku gasped as Gotenks slammed his fist into his stomach, smashed his other fist across his face, and then axe-kicked him back into the ground.

"I am just so cool!" Gotenks crowed, flashing the peace sign.

Down on the ground, Erik leapt over the last expanse of rock and landed next to Vegeta, Trunks and Bra.

"Come on! We're gonna retreat while Gotenks holds Goku at bay!"

'What? I'm not leaving. I…!" Vegeta said before his son and daughter looked at him. Erik shared the look.

"Vegeta…you can't win here. Retreat is not always the way of cowards. Run away now, and you'll live to win tommorow. Stand and you'll die with no honour. You have two seconds. Choose."

And with that Erik turned and ran off, going from group to group. The other way, Vegeta could see Celeste and Buu doing the same.

"Fine…but you will pay for this Kakarott. In blood!" Vegeta cursed, and followed Erik.

With a scream, Goku exploded from the rock Gotenks had buried him in, floating up to face the fusion, who smirked and made faces at him.

"Ok, you want to play? LET'S PLAY!" Goku screamed, as black ki exploded over his body, enveloping his form in the burning power of darkness. Then the ball exploded outward, and Goku was in SSJ4 as well.

"Yech! I look a lot better then you, ugly!" Gotenks mocked, and then dove forward to engage Goku in a war of blows. The impact of thunderous punches and kicks rang across the sky.

"Victoria! Lindsay!" Erik was saying.

"Erik! What is it!" Victoria's voice came as she emerged from behind a rock face.

"Tactical retreat! We need your dragon body!"

"You got it!" Victoria said, as she began to transform. Erik ran on, indicating to the Z Warriors and Legacy members to start climbing on board. They listened, even as Gotenks and Goku's thunderous battle continued overhead.

"Shit. Gotenks is strong, but he's not as strong as SSJ4 Goku. Paul!" Erik yelled to the Legacy's gunsman, who looked up from his weapon.

"What?"

"You have any of those homing bullets left?"

"Yeah, that new guy gave me time to reload!"

"Use them! We need to keep Goku distracted!"

Gotenks kneed Goku in the gut, but Goku responded with a pistoning hook that sent Gotenks flying across the sky. Gotenks backflipped in mid-air and thrust out his hands.

'RENZOKOKEN SHINE SHINE MISSILE!" Gotenks screamed, and began firing hundreds of golden ki blasts at Goku, who vanished in expanding explosions and clouds of smoke.

"Lindsay!" Erik said, as he reached the side of the woman to find Celeste kneeling over her, trying to revive her.

"Goku really rang her bell. I think she might be in a coma." Celeste said in worry. Erik knelt as he opened his metal palm, a small tube snapping into it from within his arm.

"Let's hope not. Come on Lindsay…" Erik said as he waved the smelling salts under Lindsay's nose.

A few seconds later Lindsay began to cough, and she opened her eyes, blinking.

"No mommy, I don't wanna go to school…oh, Erik! What's going on?" Lindsay asked as she sat up, confused on what was going on.

"We're getting out of here. Transform! You guys, climb aboard!" Erik said to Krillian, Eighteen, and Seventeen. Lindsay's body began to change, and Erik moved on, heading back to Victoria.

Gotenks has ceased his onslaught, but before he could flash the peace sign Goku exploded out of the cloud of smoke, slamming shoulder first into Gotenks and then flipping around and kicking Gotenks into the ground, sending him crashing into the ground.

"I grow tired of this. KA-ME-HA-ME-ARRRGGGHHH!" Goku yelled as the bullet tore through his shoulder. He whirled, blood leaking from the wound, and saw twenty more heading towards him. He cursed and blurred away, but they followed him.

"Not this again!" he cursed as he vaporized the slugs, but more came as Paul kept it up. Goku looked down on the man in fury.

"Forget about me?" Gotenks yelled as he slammed both his feet into Goku's back, sending Goku crashing through two more rock faces. Goku blasted the rubble off of him, then blurred away as bullets raked the ground where he had been. He flew back up and Gotenks attacked him again, and Goku, snarling, tried to fight on while dodging the bullets at the same time.

Inside the lab, Vagane watched with some annoyance. This was not going as he had planned. Tapping some keys, Vagane took one of the cameras away and put it on Erik, who was helping Chastity load Yamcha onto Luna's back. He kept the camera on him, even as they finished getting Yamcha up and Chastity scrambled up next to him. She gave Erik a thumbs up and Erik turned and ran off, heading back to Echo, who was also finishing having injured Z Warriors and Legacy members loaded onto her. With a leap, Erik landed on Erik's back, and then he turned and reached down.

Vagane's eyebrow suddenly arched with interest as Erik helped Celeste up onto Echo's back. Then he smiled.

"Perhaps this incident is a greater boon then I thought…I think so, yes…" Vagane saw, as he looked at Celeste. He now had an idea. While his original plan to break the boy had failed…he now saw something far greater.

It pleased him.

Erik's head darted back and forth as he looked from Luna to Echo. He was right, everyone was there.

Except Paul.

And Gotenks.

"Lindsay! GO, GO, GO!" Erik screamed, and Luna spread her magnificenmt wings and floated up into the air. An energy blast flew past her, but she ignored it as she spun and flew off into the distance. Sure that she was safe, Erik turned back to the ruined mountain ranges where the battle with Goku had taken place.

"PAUL! WE ARE LEAVING!"

"Yeaaaahhhhhhh!" Paul yelled back, partly in response and partly as a battle cry as he began backing up, firing the whole time, spraying the air with bullets that continued to zip after Goku. Goku was suffering because of them, the constant distraction keeping his superior power from getting the edge on Gotenks, and he was getting steadily angrier.

"Yeahhhh! Yeah! Yeahhhhhhh….." Paul yelled as he continued to run backwards, his gun blazing as bullets continued spraying out…

…before they stopped. Dry clicks emitted from the Flatliner instead. Paul was out of ammo.

"SHIT!" Paul cursed, and picked up his pace, stumbling over the jagged rock ground.

Up above, Goku vaporized the last group of bullets and was surprised when no more came. He glanced downward at a fleeing Paul, and a cruel smirk once again broke over his face.

Gotenks flew forward, fists cocked, but Goku dodged aside and spun, smashing Gotenks in the back and sending him crashing into a cliff face. Still smirking, he aimed his fist down at Paul.

"Payback's a bitch, buddy!"

Paul looked up in horror as the black ki energy on Goku's hand expanded and then fired, sending a huge ki blast directly at him. As it rushed up to him, Paul realized he had nowhere to hide and nowhere to run.

"OH SHIT!"

Ash's eyes widened as he saw the blast bear down on his best friend.

"PAUL!"

Then it hit him, and Paul vanished in a gigantic smoke cloud as the earth shook. Goku smiled triumphantly.

"PAUL! NO!" Ash cried, trying to get up and leap off Echo's back. But before he could, Erik restrained him.

"He's gone!"

"No he's not…!" Ash cursed, trying to shove Erik aside, maddened beyond belief and planning to bury his sword in Goku's head.

Erik changed his grip and shoved Ash backwards.

"FORGET IT! THAT BLAST HIT HIM DEAD ON! HE'S GONE!" Erik yelled. Ash slumped, not wanting to believe it.

"No…Paul…"

"Look!" Christine said, pointing. Erik turned.

His jaw dropped.

"I don't believe it…" Erik gasped, as the smoke cleaed to reveal Paul, holding his gun up. His coat had been reduced to a few ragged tatters and his shirt and pants had been shredded, but he was alive. Slowly, he loweed his gun, which was now glowing with a burning red energy.

Up in the air, Goku clenched his fists so hard blood oozed out from between his fingers. It wasn't possible. There shouldn't have been anything left of Paul but ashes. How in the holy name of sanity had he survived?

"HOW DID YOU…" Goku screamed, voicing his disbelief as audibly as he could.

"DYNAMITE KICK!"

"ARGGHHHH!" Goku screamed as Gotenks shot from the cliff face and slammed into him with an incredibly powerful kick, sending him slamming into the ground and flying through three cliff faces before he was buried in a mountain.

"GOTENKS! WE'RE GETTING OUT OF DODGE! I SUGGEST YOU COME WITH US!" Erik yelled up to the fusion. Gotenks glanced over to where Goku had been buried.

"Eh, this fight's messing up my hair anyway. Another time, loser!" Gotenks mocked, holding his fingers against his forehead in an L. Then he turned and swooped low to the ground, grabbing Paul and flying onto Echo's back.

"GO SIS!" Ash said, and Echo lifted up and took off as the ground began to rumble. On the dragon's back, the Legacy and Z Warriors looked in amazement as Paul, who was badly battered but alive.

"How did you live through that?" Ash said.

"I believe I have an answer." Erik said. "Paul's gun draws energy from around him and converts it into ammunition through some process even I'm not sure of. Paul, you simply opened up the gun and absorbed the ki blast directly into your weapon. Ingenius. How long have you known how to do that?"

"About twelve seconds, Erik." Paul said, coughing. Gotenks stared at the three men, then looked down at the gun. His eyes widened.

"Paul! I can sense the energy of that blast! Get rid of it, your gun can't hold it much longer!"

Paul looked at Gotenks, then brought the gun up and aimed it back at Vagane's base, as an extension popped up and slid over Paul's eye as he locked onto Goku.

"You got it wrong buddy. Payback's MY bitch."

And then the barrel glowed and Erik and Ash were nearly knocked off their feet as a huge black projectile shot out of the barrel and headed off into the distance. Paul _was_ knocked off his feet, but on his face was a look of saitisfaction.

"Bishop, eat your heart out."

As Goku floated back up into the air, he suddenly found himself staring down the ki blast he had fired to destroy Paul. While he wanted to curse the ironies of fate, he only had time for two words.

"Kami dammit."

The distant sky suddenly lit up in a gigantic explosion of light, and then a roar swallowed everything as the blast detonated. Echo swayed a bit as the shockwave hit her, but she rode it out and continued her lazy flight back towards Capsole Corp.

"We got away…we have more luck then the Irish, I swear." Bra said as she looked at the smoke cloud off in the distance. "Nice blast there Paul."

"Yeah. If we're lucky it gave him a bruise." Erik muttered, his mind trying to work over the new development. Not only did they have to deal with Goku's overwhelming power, but now they couldn't get anywhere near him without having the stronger ones in their ranks become as helpless as babies.

And then there was the problem that had started it all. Erik stared off at the distant cloud which he knew was near Vagane's lab.

__

Just what are you planning?

A slight cough filled the now silent air, as the smoke cleared to reveal Goku, who was a little singed but nothing else. At the level of SSJ4, he hadn't even had to efficiently block a ki blast that could destroy a planet to keep it from harming him.

Even so, it didn't calm him down, as he stared at the fleeing dragons in the distance. He snarled, his eyes flashing with anger. He should have been able to annihalate all of them as Vagane had asked, but his own arrogance had allowed them to flee.

But they weren't going to get away. Goku thrust down his arms and screamed as a golden energy aura exploded around him, and the earth rumbled as the air filled with floating pebbles and jagged hunks of rock.

"Hold it Goku. That is enough."

The aura faded as Goku looked down as he heard his master speaking to him via some contraption Goku didn't see.

"But master, I failed. You wanted me to destroy them and I couldn't even kill one. I cannot present myself to you until I have rectified this failure."

"You have not failed, Son Goku."

"But master…"

"The fact that they all live does not matter. They were just a means to an end…and in the end, my desired goal was accomplished. You must save your strength Goku. Let them run. They will return…and then, Son Goku, you can have your revenge. You will be sure they won't flee a second time. You will have a chance to avenge all the crimes they commited against you, while claiming to care or love you. You will avenge your betrayal, and all their lies about how they supposedly cared for you."

Goku nodded.

"Yes master." He said as he fell out of the SSJ4 state. "I will have my revenge."

The sun was beginning to peak over the horizon and look into the windows of Capsole Corp, but no one noticed.

Despite the situation, Goku's arrogance had caused no serious or fatal injuries, and with the help of Buu, everyone had quickly been cleaned up, in terms of injuries. Before anyone else could do anything else though, Erik had called an emergency meeting.

It was a mess. Vegeta was utterly raging over another defeat, and his son and daughter could barely keep him calm. Goten, Pan, Gohan, and Eighteen were utterly despondant with the knowledge of Videl and Marron's pregnacy and what it might mean for them. The remaining Z Fighters were either silent or trying help the despontant ones. Even Piccolo was trying to help Gohan, which was a moment some of them wish they had recorded on tape.

The Legacy was even worse. Ash was giving Vegeta a run for his money in how furious he was, and everyone else was either questioning their fighting skills, their sanity, or if they were going to get through this with their lives. Even the Soulfire was silent.

Once again, Erik found himself at the forefront of the ragtag group. But this time was different. After the night he'd had of battling Adam, failing to save lives, and then rescuing his friends and allies, Erik was on his last legs. As he tried to get the attention, an argument suddenly broke out between Goten and Vegeta, and almost at the same time, one broke out amongst the Legacy. The room was filled with loud noises and angry words, as the neutral sides looked in between the warring parties and tried to figure out what to do.

Erik was the one who acted though, as he suddenly slammed his fist down on the large table, breaking it in half. The room fell into a shocked silence.

"That is better." Erik said, his voice laced with strain, and underneath it, resentment. "Now, we must…"

"You know Erik, I'm getting tired of you always taking the lead! Oh, you're all ready to get to the forefront when it's time to talk, but where are you when the action starts? I'm getting sick of it!" Ash said, standing up. Erik looked over at his brother in law.

"If you are insinuating that I am some kind of coward…"

"No Erik. I think that you're turning into a selfish prick! We arrive here and fight monsters, you're off doing something else! Vagane commits atrocities across the planet as a way of getting to you, and you're not even there to see them. We get our collective ass kicked by Goku, you're off wandering the city! But just when it gets bad, you show up and act like the hero! You, just you! I think you've forgotten something Erik, we're a team, and there's no I in it!"

Erik's look turned into a glare.

"There's no I in Vengeance either, Ash. If you knew what I was doing…"

"SCREW WHAT YOU'RE DOING! If you haven't noticed Erik, the whole center here is you! Vagane is doing all this to get to you! We're all getting hurt because of you, and your blood feud with Vagane! You should be focussed on Vagane like a laser beam, not wandering off in other directions! You claim to be leading us, but you're never there to lead, just to save! So tell me what that is!"

Some murmers of agreement were beginning to come from within the group. Looking worried, Christine stood up.

"Ash is just upset Erik…he doesn't mean this, I…"

"Chris, I DON'T NEED YOU TO TALK FOR ME!" Ash yelled. With a look of shock and hurt feelings, Christine sat down again.

Now Erik looked angry.

"Ok Ash, you want to talk leadership? Well then, how about the fact that you have perhaps the most obvious example of undeserved leadership in this room!"

"WHAT? How dare you! You all chose me as the leader! And I deserve it! I'm a hero!"

"I didn't see a hero when I first met you Ash. I saw a sniveling whiny boy who was furious at the world for supposedly rejecting and hurting him, and who just wanted to be a hero so he could have gloating rights and a sense of self-righteousness! I let you be the leader, when I would have been a much stronger one, because I believe that if I didn't do something right there and then, you would wind up destroying us! I thought the responsabilities matured you, but apparntly I was wrong, because you're playing the blame game again. Ash, you have NO IDEA what it's like to be hurt, and I think you have no idea how to be a leader also!"

"You motherfucker!" Ash yelled back, trying to draw his sword. The blade wouldn't budge. 'Soulfire, what are you doing!?!"

**__**

I'm not letting you do this Ash! It's wrong and you know it! Plus I was napping and I'm not done!

"Argh! Fine! I don't care how many blasted martial arts you know, I'll beat you to a bloody pulp you…!"

****

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Celeste screamed, and Ash fell silent as everyone looked at the woman, who no longer looked frail and shy. Instead, she looked pretty angry herself.

"Don't you see what you're DOING? You're doing exactly what Vagane wants. We have to work together, and he knows it, so he's using us to drive a splinter in between each other! Well, I won't allow it. Ash, Goku is far stronger then you, but you didn't back down. That is nothing to be humilated about! And all of you, Vagane cheated! He knew you could defeat Goku, so he changed the rules in the middle of the game! But you know them now, and next time you'll be prepared. And as for YOU, Erik…I see what you're doing. You knew Ash was aggrivated and you set out to use it. What were you going to do next to separate us from you, huh? Were you going to call the Z Warriors and your teammates idiots for clearly falling into a trap, and let that escalate until everyone hated you, so you would have no choice but to take Vagane on by yourself? Well Erik, that ain't happening. You aren't taking all the responsibility to keep you from hurting us. We won't let you stand alone, even though you feel it is your fault and your penance. We're all in this together. In each our own ways, we all owe you that. We're helping you. And that's that. Live with it."

Erik stood, stunned. Celeste had seen right through him. Now Christine was standing up.

"Oh Erik…why do you feel you have to take the weight of the whole world alone? Why do you think everything is your fault? Why do you have to always be in pain to go on?"

"It won't work you know. Redemption is not found in martrydom…it is found in caring. In friendship. Erik, you cared enough for our world to make that wish you did…why do you think we won't do likewise?" Goten added. Agreement came from around the room. Even Vegeta agreed.

Erik let out a long sigh.

"Thank…thank you…I guess in the end…my greatest foe is myself…but that's going to change. Vagane has dared to go against us…we'll teach him the error of his ways. And if we can…we'll get Goku back. But…"

"But nothing, Failure."

Erik whirled, and his eyes widened as he saw the hologram of Vagane behind him. Vagane looked back, smirking. Apparently the robot that had spoken to Gohan and co before still worked.

"You…you dare come into our presense!?!?" Erik hissed, and Goten could feel the same power that Erik had given off in the hosipital flash through the room again.

"Oh Failure, that was so sweet on how everyone said they supported you. But it doesn't change anything. Your fate is already sealed."

Erik was silent, his whole body boiling with rage. Vagane laughed.

"You think you can stand before me? You think you can stop me? No one can stop me, most of all you, Failure! ALL YOU CARE ABOUT WILL BE DESTOYED, AND YOUR SOUL WILL BE SHATTERED LIKE GLASS! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA…"

The hologram vanished as Erik brought his metal fist down on the small robot, crushing it like an egg. It hit the ground, and Erik crushed it underfoot, his teeth clenched in a snarl.

"I won't let you take anything else. Never again. Never." Erik hissed. "I don't care if you have an amry of a million Gokus, I will avenge myself Vagane."

**__**

Which begs the question. Just how are we going to stop Tall, Dark, and Insanely Powerful?  
Erik fell silent, as did the room, as they all tried to think of something.

Then the door opened, and Bulma came in. In her hand she held a small disc, and on her face was a triumphant smile.

"Guys, I think I've got something."

Everyone turned to Bulma as she walked up to the computer that Erik had used to describe Vagane nearly 12 hours ago, and slid the disc in, tapping at the nearest keyboard.

"As you know, I was keeping track of you via computer. When you had your powers turned off, I couldn't just stand by and do nothing. So I stared scanning Vagane's base…lo and behold, I found something special emitting from one of the lowest levels of it. I think Vagane was so wrapped up in watching Goku that he didn't even notice I was scanning his base. And guess what I found? How about a machine that emitted these strange energy waves, that might, oh, I don't know, block ki?"

There was a collective of raised eyebrows, and people began standing up to look as a map appeared on the screen and everyone found themselves looking at a 3-D mountain range. The camera zoomed in through the mountains until it alightened onto an artist's idea of Vagane's base.

"By the time you guys were heading back, I had scanned the whole base and surrounding mountains. The base is well protected from attack by any angle…and from my readings, Vagane has scanners that would see you coming from miles away anyway. The technology he has come up with is astounding…as you guys might have figured out already. But all the scanners are designed to scan the area around the base…but not underneath it!"

Now everyone was up and watching, as Bulma smiled again.

"Now, Vagane surely has technology that will keep us from directly drilling into the base from below…at least to the point that he'll know we're coming. BUT…he ain't the best architect when it comes to planning. Take a look."

The camera zoomed away from Vagane's base and out through the mountains, going a fair distance until it came to the outskirts of the mountain range, panning down until it alighted on the entrance. Erik blinked.

"Is that…"

"Yep, old mining tunnel. Long abandonned and forgotten…but it's still standing. And it goes deep into the mountain…and if one takes the right path…" Bulma said as she tapped keys and the models switched views to show the twisting, branching lengths going deeper and deeper into the mountain. "…one will end up right here."

The path finally came to an end. Bulma tapped a few keys, and two models superimposed themselves on each other to show the path came within knocking distance of one of Vagane's underground rooms.

"The path takes you almost all the way. Get though some rock and metal…and you're in. But that's not the best part. This is."

Bulma tapped some more keys, and the model began circling around.

"From my readings…and I'm pretty damn sure I'm right…the machine that emitted those rays is right HERE." Bulma finished with a flourish, and a blinking dot appeared on the model.

It was right in the room where the mine tunnel exited out of. With another smile, Bulma spun around.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking guys?"

"I have a damn good idea."Erik said. "Go in and take out the machine…with a small group, Vagane won't even realize it until it's too late…and if we coordinate another attack on the main base at the same time…he'll be ours for the picking."

With a wide smirk on his face now, Vegeta suddenly walked forward and swept Bulma up, planting a big kiss on her, much to the surprise of everyone.

"MWMM-WA! I love you, woman! Who thought that you would be helpful in defeating Kakarott?"

"I don't think Goku is the main problem, Vegeta. Vagane is…my friends, I need to figure out a complete plan. Until then, I suggest you rest up or do whatever you can do to relax. I think that we'll be returning to Vagane's doorstep soon…we need everyone at 100 percent. If this fails…"

Erik let his silence provide the answer. Slowly, the grouped Z Fighters and Legacy once again seperated and moved off. They all knew what was ahead of them. They were going to make the most of their freedom. Soon, Erik was alone with Celeste.

"I taught you too well." Erik said wryly. Celeste smiled shyly, lowering her eyes.

"You saved my life in so many ways, Erik. To not do the same for you…"

Erik looked at his pupil, the lone woman he perhaps truly called friend. _And after all I did to her...all the torment and humiliation…have I saved her…or warped her? I only wish I knew._

"I suggest you get some rest, Celeste. You've had a busy night…I need you fresh. It's going to be one hell of a battle…one we might not come back from. Are you ready?"

Celeste nodded, and Erik turned and left. Celeste stared after him.

"Erik?"

Erik turned.

"Yes?"

Celeste opened her mouth, but nothing came out again. Her vocal cords were paralized. Finally, her mouth shut again.

"Nothing."

Erik nodded, then turned and left. Even after he was gone, Celeste continued to stare after him.

"Oh Erik…you seem so confused…it baffled you why I couldn't let you go and die…but at the same time, I am baffled…if only I could tell you…why can't I say it…"

Celeste lowered her head, no sound coming from her mouth, but her lips moved, and to Goten, as he watched from behind a door, it was as clear as day.

"I knew it…but what do I do…what can I do?" Goten asked himself as he walked away. Her words had been silent, but Goten could hear them echoing in his head.

__

I love you.

Vagane chuckled to himself at Erik's destruction of his droid. Now he knew for sure.

"Fools. All of them. Think they've escaped, have they? No one escapes from me…especially not you Failure. I can see it. It began with my gift, and now my actions have escalated it. Now it is time…time for you to break, Failure. Soon…soon…"

The door opened, and then Belinda stepped into the room. She knelt almost immediately.

"Master…it is done. We have extracted the fetuses from the bodies of the two women."

"And?"

"It is a success, my lord. The cells and genetic alterations were a complete success. The two are perfect in every aspect."

"Yessssssss!" Vagane said, clenching a fist. "After so many failures, so many attempts…at last I have bred not one, but two! My destiny is finally at hand! Belinda, transfer them to their chambers and begin maturing them. I want them at full adulthood in three hours, and no more!"

"I will do it, my lord, but what of the women? With the fetuses extracted, they serve no more use. Should we dispose of them?"

Vagane chuckled.

"No…sew them up and keep them alive. I think it would be far more…amusing…to kill them when their loved ones can see it…yes, that would be much more fun. But if their loved ones do not survive…destroy them. And do the same to the two aliens as soon as the Messiah Project is complete."

"Yes, my lord!" Belinda said, and left. Vagane turned back to his screen, smiling in triumph.

"Ah Z Warriors…Legacy…and the pretty thing called Celeste. All so precious to Erik. And that will be his downfall. They think Goku is their problem…if only they knew…Goku is but a means to an end…"

Vagane trailed off into a series of chuckles, the looked up with an insane smile.

"So come, Failure. You will find me and my allies ready and waiting…and you will find that the true nightmare lies not within Goku…but within the ones that will make me the new creation!"

Vagane's insane laughter filled the room, and floated down the hallways, fading as it went down, growing softer and softer, to the point where human ears could no longer hear it.

Eventually it washed over a black metal tube, so faint that only powerful instruments could pick it. As it did, it flew through the tube.

And inside, a small eye opened, and a voice responded.

"Daddy…"

__

Next Chapter: He Dies!

To Be Continued!

Editor's Note: Sorry Nik Nak, there was kind of a lack of Spike in this one. No worries. Anyway, I know some people might be saying "Hey this is DBZ, not ER!", but I hope that won't be an issue. If people also want to say that the whole situation with Kate sounded far-fetched, I based it on a true story of a friend of mine. Fortunately, his daughter survived. But the baby did not. Blame who you will.

Also, from now on, I'm going to be doing a little in-joke. From each chapter now on, there will be a tribute to one popular anime. That is ANIME, not cartoons. See if you can spot the one in this chapter! As usual, I like long reviews, so please try and leave one. And write on!


	5. Last Stand

Chapter 5: Last Stand

__

"There is greater darkness than the one we fight, it is the darkness of the soul that has lost its way. The war we fight is not against powers and principalities, it is against chaos, and despair. Greater than the death of flesh is the death of hope, the death of dreams. Against this peril we can never surrender. The future is all around us, waiting in moments of transition, to be born in moments of revelation. No one knows the shape of that future, or where it will take us, we know only that it is always born in pain."

"Because no battle is ever won he said. They are not even fought. The field only reveals to man his own folly and despair, and victory is an illusion of philosophers and fools."

William Faulkner

The blackness was total and absolute, deep in the bowels of the earth, far away from the light of the sun or the artificial light of mankind. Any man who attempted to enter without such light of either kind was either a fool or suicidal, for within the blackness lurked danger and death. Once, long ago, men had tunneled into the earth and ravaged it for its resources, but the earth had gained its revenge throughout time, collapsing stone onto the heads of man and robbing others of their oxygen. Whether men had grown afraid, or simply had found the ground was useless was not known, but they had withdrawn long ago, leaving their holes laced throughout the mountain. Even so, it appeared the cavern still bore a grudge on any humans that dared enter it, without light or maps, and it waited to devour them.

But its desires were futile, and would not come to pass, for the three who walked through the darkness were at one with it. In each their own way, it flowed through their veins and was as much a part of them as the light was. They did not fear being devoured by a vengeful earth.

Their fear was of something far more dangerous then a vengeful earth. And something far more likely to devour them.

Such fear led to caution, as the three slunk through the blackness, like whispers on a breeze and trying to present the illusion of having as much substance as such. Despite all the scanning, they could not be sure if Vagane had posted security precautions down in this tunnel, whether it be to detect or destroy them, and so their pace was slow, one of them standing before the others, head covered by the heavy cloak he wore that enshrouded his whole body. The other two wore the same cloaks, all the better to blend into the shadows and prevent them from being seen by human or mechanical eyes.

The lead man was not worried about the aforementioned darkness. If the earth ever was a sentiant entity of some kind, it would gladly stand aside and let them pass. They were trying to save it, after all. It and all its brothers and sisters, stretching out across an impossible distance beyond space and time. All the same and yet all different, but all worthy to be protected.

No, what worried Erik was not the present, but the future. Despite all they had seen and all Erik had done, only he could truly understand just how insane Vagane was.

No, perhaps that was not correct, even unfair. Erik had seen many kinds of people throughout his life, and even he occasionally thought that the word "crazy" and its hononyms were overextended. Truly crazy people did not go around hacking up people with machetes or planning grand schemes to become the new force of creation or what not. Instead, they mostly sat around and drooled, utterly incapable of looking after themselves. The nature of insanity was a brain, whether by physical, mental, or emotional anguish, to cease to be able to function properly, whether for a time or forever. It made sense that such inability to function would logically be more likely to led to a state where a person would shit him/herself, and not be aware or care about it, rather then commit mass genocide, whether in joy or in delusion.

That came from something far deeper, far harder to grasp and to apply. It came, perhaps, from evil itself. But evil was as hard to define as insanity.

Erik did not want to spend his last moments on earth questioning such things. Whatever they may be, it was clear Vagane had to be stopped.

And for Erik, it was more. He had to learn the truth of some things. Some things he craved more even then Vagane's death.

Little did he know that was exactly what Vagane wanted as well.

And what it would do to him.

It had been roughly eight hours before Erik found himself creeping through the shadows that he had finalized his plan to do so and presented it to the Z Warriors and Legacy. It seemed deceptively simple. Erik and Celeste would go through the tunnel, which Erik had estimated would take about two hours to traverse if they moved as quickly as they could while being careful. Erik estimated it would take another ten minutes to cut through the wall, find the machine, and trash it.

So approximentally two hours after Erik and Celeste had left, The Z Warriors and Legacy would attack Vagane's base. In the ten minutes, Erik had estimated Goku, flush with his newly found arrogance, would show up. Once he found that his ki-blocking machine was no longer working however, everyone would attack head on, holding nothing back. The only wild card in the equation was how long it would take the machine to turn on. Whether it would activate the instant the Z Warriors set foot on the site, or if Goku would activate it and then show up, or he would come out or activate it by remote like last time, or some other factor, Erik didn't know. But he was sure that Goku would underestimate them after last time.

No one spoke up on another possible wild card, which was if Erik would actually be able to make it through the tunnel and easily shut off the machine. They trusted Erik's determination and drive. This was perhaps more personel to him then it could ever be for any of them, and they knew that he wouldn't stop driving towards the goal until he was dead, or the machine was.

But just in case, Erik spoke to the Legacy of back up plans to give Goku the runaround until the machine was gone. As for the situation that Erik would never got to shut it down…no one wanted to think about that.

Erik finished outlining the plan. Bulma and Master Roshi would stay behind at the Capsole Corp and watch from afar. Everyone else would be coming, even Mr. Satan. As the only non-ki using warrior, he could very well be worth his weight in gold. Maybe not against Goku, but one never knew what was around the corner.

As he spoke, Erik had felt the dread rise within him. He had come to the part that he utterly loathed, but it was perhaps the most necessary. It didn't stop him from feeling dirty as he spoke though.

"Now…Goku…I don't know, but I can't help but think that somewhere in that monster using his body he's still there. He was simply too strong to just be winked out of existence like that…but I don't know if he is retrievable. In other words, we may have to accept the fact that Goku is dead. Unless…we have a miracle…I cannot think of any way to bring him back. The Dragon Balls did this to him, and they're gone along with Dende. And it seems that Vagane had continued the poisoning of Goku's mind…" Erik trailed off. He felt his next words would surely damn him to hell. Goku had been such a great man, such an incredible example of why humanity wasn't as damned as Erik thought. He had been the key to Agony's destruction, his inner goodness and ability to love the lone weapon that had annihalated the blasphemous cells of Agony's seemingly unkillable body. He had seen the blood on Erik's hand and still offered his, without a second thought.

To think that he would have to say what he was about to say chilled Erik to his very core. It just…wasn't right, It wasn't _fair._

But fate was cruel. Beyond cruel. Unbelievingly cruel. And so it had decided this, it seemed. All Erik could hope was that fate had a twist planned, or he would never be able to shake the terrible betrayal he felt as he spoke.

"The end result…if you can think of something, anything, that is an alternate…use it. But the end result is that he may be gone forever. And with that knowledge…I must ask you all to use lethal force. No, you must promise. Because if you don't…and he's gone…and you hesitate…we're all dead. I need you to promise that you will cut Goku down. I need you to look past all he has done for you, this world, and everything, and kill him, possibly in cold blood. We have no other choice. Under Vagane's control…he'll do the same thing joyfully. I need you to all promise me that you will kill Son Goku."

The Legacy had agreed, along with Vegeta, although there was no relish in his voice. After all Goku had done to him, that surprised Erik.

The rest were harder. All of them had known Goku for so long, some for decades. Some had his blood flowing in his veins. But in the end, they all agreed. They knew.

And they hated it as much as he did.

But they had no choice.

Fate was cruel.

Erik sighed. He longed to take back what he had just made his friends and allies swear to do. But he couldn't. So he moved on to the lone thing that had no effect on the plan…and yet did.

"I have one final thing to say. As you have seen, of all this, despite all he has done to you, Vagane's focal point is me. In a sense, corrupting Goku, taking your wives, mothers, children, killing all those innocent people…its to get to me. But the gravest shot he fired happened before he even came here."

Erik paused. He hadn't told anyone about this, not even Celeste. When Vagane had sent him the package that had included info on how to build the Gateway, he had also sent him something else. Something Erik had craved and hunted for his entire life, something that drove him along with his need to wipe the Corrupt from the earth. Only Erik had seen it, and he had spoken to no one of it.

But he felt that now was the time.

"He told me…something I have wanted to know ever since I began my quest…he told me where Agony came from."

The room was stunned into silence. They couldn't believe it, and even in their deepest subconscious, they could only manage to begin to grasp how grave this was to Erik. Agony had made his life a living hell, and theirs as well. Despite how much he loathed her, all Erik had known was her name. Patricia Delhart. Besides that, nothing else.

But as they looked into his eyes, they saw he knew far more then that now. To think he had had to learn that from Vagane, the man who had twisted and warped his body in his attempt to make him a mindless killing machine…

"I need to know."

Everyone turned to Vegeta, who was now standing.

"After what she did…if Vagane told you…I need to know. I can't go on without not knowing, after what she did to those near and dear to me." Vegeta said. His sentiments were echoed in all the Z Warriors.

Erik almost smirked bitterly.

"Very well. I will tell you."

One of the questions of evil is whether it is innate or just learned. It is impossible to tell, but there are strong cases for both. But anyone who was touched by Agony spent the rest of their lives thinking the former. Such madness and bloodlust could surely not be learned.

The act of conception, sadly, is not always an act of love. Some babies are conceived from the love of two people. Others are conceived from the love of one, or the hormones of two, or even the mistakes of two.

And some are conceived from the dark desires and hatred in the hearts of men and women. Such had been the case of Patricia Delhart.

Patricia's mother, whose name Erik did not know, and like Chastity, one of Erik's closer friends, was a prostitute. But unlike Chastity, who had somehow found a pimp who cared for his girls, and a circle of women who refused to let the street chew them up and spit them out, Miss Delhart was continually browbeaten by a lack of both. Miss Delhart had no self-respect, and would let men do anything to her in exchange for money. She had been raised to seemingly be unable to think she deserved anything more. She was a piece of meat to be used, abused, and eventually crushed underfoot. To never serve a purpose but to be an outlet of others, to be forced to drink the venom of others and like it.

But a mindset like this or not, Mis Delhart was not beyond the impulses of normal humans. If one is continuelly trodden on, one grows angry. But people like Miss Delhart, while they may feel the anger, also cannot do anything about it. They are far too afraid to strike back as those who stomp on them, nor do they feel they have a right to. Instead, they either find scapegoats, or they lock the feelings away to seethe and boil underneath the surface. To be forced to drink the poison of others while being unable to rid yourself of your own inner toxins is terrible, but it is the fate of many people. That's just the way it was.

Until the rape.

Miss Delhart may have let men do anything to her, but she got money in exchange, and they wore a condom, not wanting to catch any foul disease she might have. But one day even that was robbed of her. Erik didn't know the circumstances, except that the man had beaten her horribly to get her to submit, and then raped her and left in lying in the street like the garbage he wholly believed her to be. And instead of money, he left her something else. 

His semen, for he had not worn a condom. And the inevitable happened, as Miss Delhart became pregant.

Why the poor woman, so horribly abused, didn't just have an abortion was beyond Erik. Perhaps she couldn't afford it. Perhaps she was too ashamed to admit she had been raped. Perhaps in some corner of her mind, she thought the child would bring her salvation.

Vagane had his own theory. She'd kept the baby because the anger, resentment, and hatred at life was nearing the point where Miss Delhart couldn't keep it inside her any more. She needed a target for her rage, something to beat on like she was beat on, something that couldn't fight back just like she couldn't.

What better then a newborn child?

In any case, her pregnancy soon exiled her from anything but men with the strangest tastes. The last months, if anything, must have been utterly miserable for Miss Delhart. If Vagane was right, it must have only increased the hatred for the child in her womb.

The birth was bad. Miss Delhart wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, which partly explained why she was a prostitute, and thus had no idea when her child was coming until her body was lacked with pain. Her constant use of various drugs and alcohol during the process hadn't helped either. When Miss Delhart finally got to the hospital she nearly had the baby right there in the entranceway. During the chaotic process, the fetus somehow got badly turned around and wound up getting tangled in Miss Delhart's intestines. The birth almost killed her, but eventually she managed to get the baby out.

It was a girl. Miss Delhart named her Patricia.

It didn't take long for Patricia to wind back up at the hospital. While her mother's desire to hurt her was subconscious, the problems of raising a newborn quickly made them come out. If the system worked, the hospital would have taken Patricia away from her mother and she might have never become what she became.

But the system was hopelessly overworked, corrupted, and pretty much useless. And it would prove to be a damnation to humanity, as Patricia wound back in the hospital after her mother shook her half to death because she wouldn't stop crying. Perhaps the worst thing was that when Patricia was brought in, her mother couldn't understand she had done something wrong.

The doctors didn't expect Patricia to live. The infant brain is incredibly fragile, and in the hands of an angry adult it pretty much stands no chance. As Patricia's lifesigns began to nosedive, the doctors prepared to have her mother arrested.

It didn't happen. One second Patricia was on the verge of flatlining, then the light flicked off and then back on, and all her lifesigns were stable. That was enough of a miracle, but it got even bigger when doctors examined her…and didn't find a single injury to her at all. She didn't even have a bruise. It was as if all her injuries had just…vanished.

Erik stopped, looking at the horror on the faces. He knew what they were thinking.

"Coincidentally, on that night, at seemingly about the same time, seven other people died of their injuries or illnesses…just like that."

The room was silent. Erik sighed and turned around.

"I told you that Agony was granted her powers by an evil god-like being named Xaxargas, who had been imprisoned in our planet. However, by the time Patricia was born, the seal was just about over, due to break in 25 years or so. To a being as old as Xaxargas…that must have been minutes. By then, he had probably already begun his plan on how he was going to play with our planet before he destroyed it and the whole universe. With the seal as weak as it probably was, Xaxargas must have been able to manifest himself on earth for short periods of time. I believe this is how he picked his Elite, by coming to them and offering them grand things. I think that somehow, he knew of Patricia long before she was due to exist…probably for years. I think that on the fateful night…he came to her…came into her infant mind…and planted his taint, whispering to her mind of what she could be for him. And then he was gone…but he didn't leave Patricia unaltered. For one brief second, he let her tap into and feed off her own pain, and the pain and anguish of everyone around her…let her taste the power this could grant her even as it healed her injuries…and then he left. Patricia could never have remembered what happened, her mind was far too young to be able to recall it. But his…"gift" was still there…and it manifested itself almost immediately. After they were done checking her, one of the doctors accidentily, or maybe not, dropped his stethoscope. It gave Patricia a good knock on the head. For a baby barely a month old, it would have hurt a lot, and surely started a crying jag. Instead…Patricia giggled."

Everyone was silent.

"On that day…it began. On that day…it began to form within her…and as time went on…Patricia found she was different. She found that when she scuffed her knee, or cut her hand, or bumped her head, she didn't feel bad…she felt good. And if anyone else did likewise…she felt even better."

As mentioned, if the system worked, Patricia never would have been given back to her mother. But the system was hopelessly inept to keep up with the ever multiplying problems of the people who had created it, and with Patricia seemingly no longer hurt at all, there was no evidence that her mother had abused her. So Patricia went back to her mother.

Perhaps the fact that she had nearly been caught in her acts of violence against his child was enough to keep Patricia's mother from repeating her actions…at least at first. Perhaps she had even tried to give Patricia a normal life. But life was not done with its cruelty, and eventually the resentment began to build again, and again Patricia found herself her mother's scapegoat.

It proved to be fatal.

How Vagane had known the next events, Erik did not know. It was events that would have surely only been known to Agony herself. Eventually, Patricia had found her mother once again wanting to take out her rage on life on her. Last time Patricia could be shaken, but this time she was nearly two. So her mother went after her with a knife.

Perhaps if she knew what lurked within her daughter, Miss Delhart would have been wiser to run away screaming. But she didn't.

Thus she didn't stop when her daughter, terrified, stopped at the head of the stairs as if something had compelled her to.

Or noticed that her daughter head cocked as if she was listening to something.

In the end, she only knew her rage.

It proved her undoing, as Patricia suddenly fell to her knees just as her mother reached her. Her mother tripped over her and landed on her own knife as she fell down the stairs. The wound was ugly and cruel…almost as if it had been arranged that it would inflict an injury that would take a while to prove fatal.

It took a long time for Miss Delhart to die…and all the while Patricia was there.

Watching.

Smiling.

Perhaps her death would have been even longer if Miss Delhart had not looked into her daughter's eyes.

Fear can be a powerful stimulant in the process of mortality, and looking into the burning black pits of lust and cruelty that shone out of her daughter's eyes would have scared a grown man to death, much less an injured woman.

Then Miss Delhart was gone.

And the darkness left Patricia's eyes, leaving her only with terrified memories with what she had just done. The presense within her loved it. It was its first true death, and unknowingly, in the process, it had claimed its first soul.

Patricia quickly became a ward of the state…and quickly gathered a reputation for being a curse. Everywhere she went, it seemed that accidents, sometimes terrible ones, followed. No one wanted to befriend or help Patricia. In fact, most would have rather killed her. She terrified them on a level so deep even they weren't fully aware of it.

But it must have been even worse for Patricia. She wanted nothing more then to have friends, companions, and a family. To be loved. But no one wanted to be near her, even adults. And then…there were the bizzare alien feelings she would have whenever someone hurt themselves, or she was hurt herself, feelings of a joy and rapture that horrified her even as it gave her pleasure on levels she couldn't comprehend…a pleasure that seemed to stir something within her, something that begged to be let out, to take control.

Patricia tried to fight it. She spoke of the strange feelings to everyone she could. But no one wanted to help. Kids thought she was crazy, avoiding her even more. Adults thought she was making stuff up, or worse, that she was some suffering from some kind of sadomaschistic mental disorder from seeing her mother die. Even people with experience, psychiatrists and the like, couldn't seem to see into the true nature of Patricia's suffering. They were trained to deal with damaged brains.

What lurked within Patricia, granting her "the gift" of feeling no pain, but being able to feel the pain of others, and take joy in it, was evil itself.

And so it went on for years. Years of lonliness and solitude, of fear and terror of the strangeness that made her kill her mother, that made her feel good when she and others were hurt. For a child, Patricia had a surprisingly strong mind. But the forces pounding against it were relentless.

And then…one day, Patricia made a friend. A girl named Nina dared to reach out to the strange little girl. To Patricia, it must have seemed a godsend. At last, she wasn't alone. At last, she could have someone to share with.

It wasn't a godsend. It was the final step.

Patricia and Nina became inseperable, as close as sisters and perhaps even closer. For a month or so, Patricia had hope.

Then it happened.

The ball shouldn't have bounced into the street. Nina should have been smart enough not to go out after it. The driver of the truck should have been able to stop in time.

Fate wasn't meant to be like that.

The final cruelty was that five tons of 18-wheeler taking an illegal shortcut through a small town should have, at least, immediately crushed the life out of Nina. Instead, she lived on, as terrible agony shot through her ruined body, as Patricia could do nothing but sit, hold her hand, and try and weep.

But she couldn't. She couldn't cry, or sob, or even show any of the grief she wanted to feel. All she could feel…was joy. Total, absolute joy.

Nina died within minutes.

And at the same time, so did Patricia Delhart, as her mind finally shattered under the fact that she could feel nothing but happiness from her friend's death. Broken and defeated, Patricia went down into the darkness within her with a scream no one heard and with grief no one could feel.

And then…_she _emerged. She had been watching all this time, gathering her strength, feeding off the souls of the dead and the pain of the injured she had caused. Patiently, she had been waiting for Patricia to be unable to resist her anymore, for her time to fully take control of the body she had been given by her lord Xaxargas.

And in the death of Patricia Delhart, Agony was born.

"And after that…there's not much to tell. With Agony now in full control, the deaths around her suddenly went into maximum overdrive. It was utterly baffling to everyone who observed it. Agony killed them of course, but she left no evidence of it. She was careful in that way." Erik noted, his voice bitter. No one else spoke.

"But eventually Agony's thirst for death and pain got to the point where she couldn't keep herself in a normal part of society. So she ran at the age of fourteen. And everywhere she went…she killed. She fed. And even though she didn't know it, at the time anyway, she stole the souls of everyone she murdered. Eventually, Agony came into contact with a cult of some kind. Whatever its original purpose was, Agony quickly changed that, rising to the helm of it with a savagry no one could match. Once under her control, Agony turned all her followers into her own personel tools for killing and continued her murdering ways…and eventually, she came after my family. She killed them…and ruined my body. Vagane did the rest." Erik said, raising his cyborg arm. He stared at it, eyes filled with loathing, and then continued speaking.

"After she was done with me…when Vagane began turning me into his dream of a mindless unstoppable killing machine…she went on, killing everyone she met. She must have commited hundreds of murders a year. But no one could catch her. Despite her total lack of caution, no one seemed able to track her down. It was if she was…protected. And then…Xaxargas was free, And as the Change occurred, Xaxargas came to the woman who was to be his crown jewel, his Herald of Destruction. He was pleased with all she had done for him, and with that, he unlocked her full power. Now not only could Agony feel great joy from her pain and others pain. Now she could feed off of it and draw power beyond imagining. And with that….Agony slaughtered her disiciples,and having been told by her new master that she had all the souls of her victims trapped inside her, she quickly turned her insides into a living hell for all of them. And from there…Xaxargas sent her to me, as his "gift". And the rest is history. You all know what happened afterward."

Goten stared at Erik. If what he said was true…then all the souls Agony had aquired before she had come to his world had been freed when she died…only to be returned to her when Erik had made the wish to alter the timelines. That meant…his family…

"I am not surprised." Vegeta suddenly said, and everyone looked at the saiya-jin, who looked uncommonly solomn. "Normally I would say that to not endure such things makes you weak…but being weak is better then what she was…is. Even I hope I never see her face again."

"You won't Vegeta. Before I came here, knowing that my world would be helpless without me there, I made sure I dealt with her…"

"You killed her?" Goten asked. Erik shook his head.

"I wish. No, what I did was dump her in the middle of the largest desert of my world. Even she, with her unlimited endurance, will take at least a week to walk out of it, and another few days to get through the mountains surrounding the desert. By that time I'll be back…but not before we deal with Vagane. I don't know how he got this information, information which had eluded me ever since I began hunting for her. But if he knew that…maybe, just maybe, he's found out other things. Like a way to kill her. And before he dies, I'm going to find that out. I know how badly so many of you want a piece of him…I do as well. But before he is consigned to his fate, I want to find out if he holds the key to Agony's death. Then I can return to my world and destroy her, so no universe will ever be stained by her presense again."

Again, there was silence.

"That's all. You all remember the plan, I assume. Are there any questions?"

There were none. And after what Erik had revealed, he hadn't expected any.

"Good. We will attack at nightfall. That's roughly four hours from now. Use that time to rest, plot strategy, or whatever you wish to do. Once the time comes…we leave. Don't show up, you get left behind, no matter who you are. We have given Vagane far too much time already. That is all. Pray we live to tell of this."

And so, the Z Warriors and Legacy had found themselves alone with their thoughts. Although all shared a desire to destroy Vagane, all thought differently as well.

Chaozu stood on the railing, long years of martial arts training having honed his balance to perfection, looking out at the soon to be setting sun. His pale face was dark, the bright red spots on his face seemingly dampened by his mood.

The Useless One. That's what people had always thought, No matter how hard he trained, he was always behind everyone else. Perhaps he should be content that he had hit peaks that he had never dreamed of approaching, but that was not like him. If his evil master, long dead, had taught him anything, it was to always strive to be better. It may had been an extension of his desire to outclass and humilate Master Roshi, but Chaozu saw no reason to adapt the theory for his own reasons.

It seemed that as time went on, his lack of use grew larger and larger. Piccolo Daimou had cut him down in seconds. His suicide explosion hadn't hurt Nappa in the slightest. All he could do during the Freiza battle was watch. He was left behind when they had gone to defeat the Andriods, and later Cell. He'd stood by and watched as Majin Buu had wrecked his havoc, unable to do anything, while even Tien had proved to be a little useful, deflecting one lone blast of Buu's to save Gohan. With Taurus, he'd been defeated with hardly an effort on the renegade saiya-jin's part. Garlic Jr, Dr. Wheelo, Slug, Koola, Metal Koola, Androids 13, 14, and 15, Brolly and his clones, Bojack, Janemba, Hildgarn, Agony…he'd been of no help at all.

He'd been mocked for it. Vegeta took particular delight in tearing him apart with words. When he'd been a kid, Goten had even written some silly stories in which various Z Fighters were trying to eat him. Chaozu had laughed at the stories, but deep down they had disturbed him. After all he had done, was he consigned to forever be a joke?

Maybe so.

But he wasn't going to back down. He'd been an emporer once, and he'd cared for his people. He still cared for people, and all he had seen utterly sickened them. Even if he was regarded as useless, he wasn't going to back down. For their sake. Whether it was against Evil Goku, Vagane, or the ghost of Nappa singing "O Solo Mio". 

Yes. He may have been the weakest, but he was far from useless. A hug from Celeste for helping her was enough to tell him that.

Who knows? Maybe he would somehow be the one to save the day.

Or maybe not. But he'd go on anyway.

Beside his lifelong friend, Tien was thinking his own thoughts.

__

How long has it been? Over forty years? It seems like it was just days ago that Goku and I were equals in power, that we fought each other to a standstill at the TB. Then three years later…Goku had grown up, and he defeated me. And ever since then…I've just been falling behind him. Heh, I used to make fun of Krillian being bald and short…now he's stronger then me and he has hair!

Tien shut off the flow of bitterness before it could gain momentum. It didn't help him or anyone to question his worth.

He thought of Lunch, his loving wife, waiting for him back at their home. After Agony, Tien wasn't going to let the battlefield get anywhere near her. He couldn't remember what had happened, indeed, no one who had been killed by Agony could, but the little he had managed to glean horrified him to his very core.

__

Never again. I won't let her be hurt. That could be her in Vagane's possession, being subjected to inhuman…no. It doesn't matter if Goku had surpassed me on levels I couldn't achieve in a million years. I have people to protect. He may beat me in one punch again, but I won't stop fighting until I drop for good…or he does.

"Neither will I."

Tien looked over at Chaozu, who was still standing on the railing, facing him now. Tien smirked. Of course, Chaozu had ESP.

"No matter what happens Tien…we'll always have each other. In life, death, or anything else."

Tuen smiled and grabbed Chaozu's outstretched hand. He could hear all the silly rumours about him and Chaozu being homosexual lovers in the world, but he wouldn't let it come between them.

Only a true friendship could withstand such.

Whether it could withstand Goku was another story.

William Ward was on his own balcony. He was still wearing his armour, indeed, he had gotten so used to it he rarely took it off any more. His sword was in his hands, providing a useful crutch. William certainly felt like he had a weight on his shoulders.

__

Xaxargas…pure evil, a demon spawn from the deepest levels of hell…and Goku would seem to have as much power as him, if not greater. Yet Goku…I have heard so much about his great deeds…all the lives he has saved…all the sacrifices he has made…and yet when I saw him all I saw was a life-stealing devil like Xaxargas. My clan worshipped him…and for that he murdered them all. I barely escaped his wrath…and I did the same with Goku. For revenge on what Xaxargas had done to my family and friends…and all the lies he told me…I sworn to uphold honour. I named myself after the act of valiance, and did my best to live up to my title…but will I be doing that if it comes to me to have to strike Goku down? He shrugged off my blade with ease…can I strike him down? Not just in possibility, but in the actual deed?

William frowned. In his name, Ash had struck down Xaxargas for him, standing where he had fallen. And even Ash had looked utterly helpless before Goku. But that was not what bothered him the greatest. He supposed that if fate were willing, a miracle would allow the defeat of Goku, whether in death or not.

No…what bothered him was what Goku had been. Such a great man, a great warrior, everything William aspired to be and more. And yet…now…

__

A total monster? Or a man imprisoned because of the wish of an evil man? Does Goku still lurk within that death-defying beast I saw? And if I have the chance, by some miracle, to strike him down…knowing that the great man I know of could still be in there…dare I remove him from the world? Do I have a right to?

William sighed and lifted his sword. It was clean, and light gleaned on it as he stared at it.

__

The possibility…that I could…that I might have to… coat my blade in the blood of a saint and yet a demon…why does fate hoist such decisions apon a mortal man?

Yamcha wasn't on a balcony. He was looking out a window.

__

I thought I was helpless enough…then Vagane has to rub it in and take away my abilities, as little use as they are. And Goku…I was young, foolish, wanting a piece of the world. I'm sure the real Goku knew…knows that. Erik is surely wrong. Goku must still be in there somewhere. I shouldn't even refer to that imposter in his body as Goku…or should I? Did Goku somehow resent me for what I did all those years ago? Has Vagane merely unleashed all his hidden angers and…no. Goku was not like that. His anger was inflicted apon those with true evil intentions, not those who were misguided or mistaken. Even so…I can't think of anything that will aid me in that knowledge. I can't fight Goku and I can't restore him either. Maybe I am useless. Maybe I should just…

"Hey there handsome."

Yamcha turned to see Chastity standing behind him. He blinked.

"Chastity…" he began, but Chastity put up a hand.

"Yamcha…the fact remains that in a few hours we'll be going off to perhaps the greatest battle of our lives…a battle that one or both of use may not return from. Now, one can spend those last few hours thinking about their role in the matter…and Yamcha, I think that no matter what, we don't know what the future holds for us. So perhaps instead of obssessing over it…we should try and not think about it…maybe have some more…fun."

Although he couldn't believe he did it, Yamcha smirked.

"Oh really?"  
"Well…if this is the last night of our lives…we may as well go out with a bang…if you know what I mean, handsome. You know where to find me. I'll be waiting." Chastity said, winking and disappearing around the corner.

Yamcha stared after her.

__

Huh…after what happened to her…she can look apon the future with optimism…or maybe she's just trying to keep her cynicism at bay with…extracurricular activities. But she has a point. If I'm gonna die…I'd rather die happy!

Brigh lazily tossed one of his daggers up into the air, watching it spiral up and down and then caught it by the hilt. He'd been doing it for the past twenty minutes, and he hadn't had a miss yet.

But he was thinking of a much bigger miss.

__

I could have kept my business to myself. I could have been a greater thief then Robin Hood. I don't hurt people who don't ask or deserve to be hurt. I don't take stuff from people who can't replace it. But no, I decide to hit on Christine one night and next thing I know I'm fighting for the fate of the world…not like I did much good. Ash did all the big stuff, I just chipped in where I could with some energy and some words of confidence, even thought I thought we were all gonna die. Well, I was wrong there…I'm not so sure now.

Pain suddenly lanced up Brigh's arm, and he looked down to see blood beginning to seep from his palm. He'd finally missed.

And then, suddenly, he began to laugh, as the sheer absurdity of it hit him.

__

Where can I run to anyway? If the Legacy…my friends, don't come hunting me down for my cowardice, it's only a matter of time before Vagane, or Goku, or someone else comes knocking on my door. No matter how good I am at tossing knives, eventually I'm gonna get cut. Perhaps its best that I have someone to help me bandage those wounds…ok, I'm in! Besides, maybe this will get me in good with Erik, and I won't have to keep looking over my shoulder when he decides that my jobs are bad and he has to stop it…ah who am I kidding, we're probably all gonna die! I wonder if the afterlife has things to steal! HAHAHAHAHAHA…

Krillian was doing pushups, ignoring the burning in his arms, the sweat covering his body, his mind focussed solely on the task at hand. He would be getting a chance at Vagane, the man who had taken his daughter, and he wanted to be at his optimum capacity.

__

Bastard son of a bitch gonna kill you kill you rip you into tiny little pieces you child-stealing murdering son of a fucking bitch…

"You're gonna have serious competition in that area, Krillian."

Krillian looked up to see his wife, Eighteen, kneeling and looking at him.

"How long have you been there?"

"Long enough to guess your thoughts by the look on your face. You're thinking of killing Vagane. So am I. But we've got a lot of competition. If Erik doesn't get him first, Vegeta will. Or Gohan. Or Goten. Or maybe even Mr. Satan. There's a lot of people who want him dead, Krillian. Perhaps that's not what you should be focussing on."

Krillian blinked, and then the exhaustion hit him. His wife was right. He'd gone beyond preparing himself and was now exhausting himself, propelled by the incredible murderous feelings flowing through him. He should stop.

__

Weren't you doing pushups when Marron was being chased by…?

Krillian stopped, leaping to his feet. He sighed and leaned against the wall.

"Why Marron?" Krillian found himself wondering out loud. "WHY! WHY! WHY!"

And then Krillian found himself punching the wall, leaving dents in it as the fury flowed through him. Then he was yanked away by his wife.

"It's ok Krillian. She's all right. I know it. Our daughter is strong. We'll get her back, and then we'll get revenge for her…nothing's gonna stand in my way this time, be it Goku or anything."

"Hell has no fury like a mother scorned." Seventeen suddenly said, appearing out of nowhere. He had apparently been listening in. 

The fury was still seething in him, but Krillian finally had enough control to start pushing it down, get it under control. But the second he found a proper target…woe be it.

"Actually, that's woman, Seventeen." Krillian said.

"No, that's what Vegeta calls Bulma." Seventeen replied. Despite his mood, Krillian suddenly snickered at the comment.

"Well, look on the bright side. Maybe if I don't get to kill Vagane, Bulma can finally build that time machine and we can go back in time and kill him again!" Krillian said, giggling crazily. He had to laugh or his anger was going to drive him mad. Eighteen was smiling herself, even though her inner fury was matching Krillian's.

"No, maybe we can get Emma to send his soul back to earth and then we can kill him again!" Eighteen added.

"No! We'll clone him and then we can all have our own Vagane to kill!" Seventeen laughed.

"We'll mass produce Vagane!"

"Charge others to get to kill him!"

"We'll make millions and get revenge at the same time!"

And the man and androids laughed, and that was more soothing to them then any kind of therapy.

And it also put the situation in perspective. They were ready.

Rod was anything but ready. All he could do was stare at the table.

__

It's strange…I always wanted us to be a family after I seperated from Diana…and yet now, as a group drawn together to defend the world…I seem farther apart from them then ever…

Rod looked over to his ex-wife, who was kneeling in a corner, holding a Rosary necklace and whispering prayers in Latin.

Rod envied her. Partly the reason they had broken up was because Diana had found beliefs that he himself didn't believe in, but in them Diana was at peace in the calm before the storm. Or maybe it was the fact that she wasn't going to fight. Diana knew some attacks, but mostly she served as a healer. It would be the same here. Rod, on the other hand, would be on the front lines, Holocaust blade in hand, ready to die for a world he'd only been in a few days.

Then again…it wasn't just this world. It was his, and god knows how many others. If Vagane somehow…did get the power he craved…no place would be safe.

Rod grimaced. So be it then. His blade was named after one of the greatest acts of human evil ever. It would be only fitting that he would use it to destroy a man who rivaled Hitler in acts of murder and evil.

It was why he called his sword that. The Holocaust had beyond terrible, beyond evil, but by using a blade named after it to save lives…maybe that was an irony that would led to victory.

Then again, Rod mused, as he looked over to his ex-wife as she continued to pray, only god knew.

And soon, Rod knew he might very well be getting to know God.

Buu, in a moment of rarity, wasn't smiling.

It disturbed Mr. Satan on some level. Even when he'd first met Buu, when the obese being was a combination of good and evil, Buu had always been smiling in some way or another, outside of battle anyway.

Fate was strange. The two of them had met when the people of Earth had sent him, their champion, to save him from the destructive rampage Buu's evil side was causing. It was times like those that Mr. Satan had wished he had simply told the truth and not taken the credit for beating Cell. But his common sense had always been crushed by his ego and arrogance, and he'd never said a word. Even after Bojack, he'd kept acting like he was truly the mightiest being on the planet. And people continued to treat him as their hero.

Mr. Satan had known damn well that he couldn't have defeated Buu. But the people didn't know that, and he hadn't planned to back down, although whether it was because of his huge ego or a gained sense of duty, Mr. Satan did not know.

His acts ashamed him now. Instead of dying with honour and taking Buu head on in a futile assault, Mr. Satan had used trickery to try and kill Buu. Buu hadn't been fazed, but his childish mind was unable to see the fact that Mr. Satan seemed to be trying to hurt him.

He should have earned him an eternal enemy. Instead, somehow, it had earned him a friend. Now in his twilight years, Mr. Satan had fully grown to appreciate that, and Buu, seemingly always happy and ready to make friends. He always seemed to be smiling.

Not now. He understood just what he was going up against. He'd fought with his evil half without a second thought to protect his friend, but Goku's power far outstripped Majin Buu. The previous fight with him hadn't even involved Buu, who had dropped Erik and Celeste off after he suddenly lost his power heading towards the battle and then just watched from afar as Goku joyfully played his cruel game with the Z Warriors and Legacy, like a boy holding a magnifying glass to an ant hill.

But he wasn't afraid for himself.

Buu was not like that.

He was afraid for his friends, for Mr. Satan, his daughter Videl, Celeste, and everyone else. He was worried they would get hurt…that they would die, and he would never see them again.

Mr. Satan clenched his fists as memories of his daughter came flooding through him. He didn't care if in terms of pure strength he barely had the power level of Radditz, one of Freiza's henchmen, or Goku's toenail clippings. It was his daughter that was in Vagane's grasp. He was going to get her back, no matter what stood in his or how outclassed he was. And if she had been hurt...or worse…there would be hell to pay.

Buu watched the anger flow through his best friend. And while he continued to worry, his resolve steeled. Things would be made right.

And after all was said and done, perhaps he could smile again.

Lindsay wasn't smiling either.

Of all her teammates, she had always been the one who never took things seriously, always goofing around and playing pranks when everyone else was content on being a Gloomy Gus. Piccolo could be pondering his defeat, Vegeta could be raging over it, Gohan could be sad, it didn't matter, she'd prank them anyway. It drove her teammates nuts, and occassionally it was even called childish or immature. But that didn't matter to Lindsay. It was how she was, and if she wanted to jump up and down while yelling "Jello! Jello!", she'd damn well do it.

But it appeared that the serious nature of the situation, the looming possibility that none of them could escape from this battle with their lives, had infected her as well. Or maybe it was just the fact that despite her (admittingly) great martial arts talent, she had still looked like a child against Goku. She'd tried her best and she hadn't even made a dent, a scratch, a mark, any indication at all.

It was something that could depress the lightest of hearts.

And it wasn't doing her any good.

"I can't just sit around waiting and worrying, I have to do something! Anything." Lindsay muttered, looking around her empty lounge. His eyes fixed on the couch, and once again, the twinkle came back into her eye.

"I know! I'll rummage around under it! Maybe someone dropped a winning lottery ticket, or a free pizza coupon, or something…"Lindsay said as she walked over, lay on her side, and stuck her arm under the furniture.

"OW! Sharp. Ewwww, slimy! AHHH! MOVING!"

Ubuu was doing something he rarely did also, looking in a mirror.

His eyes unblinking, he stared at his reflection, remarking how his unblemished face was so much the opposite of what Ubuu had seen. If it wasn't for Senzu beans and other healing talents, his face would surely be covered with scars, or rotting off. Instead, he was growing into quite a handsome young man. Although his mohawk was starting to annoy him. Maybe he would shave it off and grow his hair out.

Another irony, one to match his face not reflecting his life. He'd originally grown the mohawk because he thought it made him look more like a warrior, and he'd wanted to look as much as a warrior as possible. Image was as much of a problem as power, and Ubuu had wanted to make sure he maximized both before he had gone off to fight in the TB. He needed to, his family and village was depending on him and he had to be utterly sure he was at his optimum state.

He'd thrashed the compition in the pre-lims, but he'd been careful not to get cocky. And it had served him well, as he had found himself staring at Son Goku, his soon to be teacher and sensei, in his first round of the finals. 

Despite himself, Ubuu smirked. Staring at Goku and sensing his strength had made him so nervous that he'd frozen, and Goku had had to insult him in order to make him mad enough to fight. The thing was, Goku was utterly terrible at insults.

__

Hey, your mother wears army boots! Um, you've got a poopy butt! Come and get me poop boy! Your mom's butt is poopy too!

As a kid, it had been enough to rile him up and get him to fight (along with the fact that Goku had kicked him in the face while he said that Ubuu's mother had a "poopy butt"), but if Goku had tried the same thing in this day and age, Ubuu probably would have fallen over laughing. Hell, his retort as a kid had made him laugh later too.

__

My mother and father do not have poopy butts!

Yes, Goku had meant no harm. He'd merely wanted to test Ubuu's strength, and his impression had been so great that he had decided to train Ubuu, to refine his power and make Ubuu a true mighty warrior, so that they could duel on the battlefield. Goku loved that duel more then anything else, except perhaps his family.

Oh, the times they had shared, the battles and the tests and the adventures. Ubuu had thought his life was going to be boring.

It was anything but…because now, Ubuu was going to face his teacher.

He may have already done it twice, but this time was different. The first time, Ubuu's heart had not truly been in it, and Goku had thrashed him. The second time, Ubuu was fully aware of what he might have to do, only to find the ability to do so taken away from him.

This time…he would be ready. Once and for all.

In some cases, it was inevitable that a student must, or will, eventually surpass his teacher. Indeed, Ubuu had dreamed that one day, he would do just that.

But in his worst nightmares, he hadn't thought it would be this way.

"Sensei…" Ubuu said to himself, putting the mirror down. He had felt his teacher's power, both as the kind great man Ubuu had grown to love and the horrible monster that was in his body, a monster that dared to call itself Son Goku. 

Ubuu clenched his fists, and blue power crackled on them.

"Sensei…I will honour you and your memory, even if I have to destroy your body. I think you would want it that way."

While Ubuu pondered over his teacher, another teacher was doing her own pondering.

Angelina sat on a chair, his fingers tracing over the arcane patterns embedded on her staff. Like others, she was pondering her worth.

Once, she'd been a social worker for the Pre-Change organization known as the YMCA. She loved helping kids and teenagers and was glad it was what she did for a living. It was then she had met Ash and Paul.

How different they were then. Ash was in his mid-teens, a lonely boy tormented by many over his lifetime for his seemingly "unacceptable" differences, at least in the class system that existed in public schools, and incredibly angry because of it. Ash loathed the outside world, retreating to his own inner worlds which were far more rich, complex, and rewarding to him then anything the outside world could offer. Ash's message was clear. The Outside world was a cruel place filled with cruel people who lived on the torment of people like him. He'd take his own worlds where he could be a hero and be respected and loved, thankyouverymuch.

Paul wasn't much better. Despite the fact he'd been teased less then Ash, Paul was also a loner, craving love from seemingly impossible places and getting angry when it didn't come true. They'd both been through their own hells. Angie, for that was what they called her, had seen it before.

Slowly, she'd helped them, by being a friend, a mentor, and other things. Slowly, she had tried to help them come out of the shell. Oh the games they would play. Ash and she shared a love of fantasy and they often dragged Paul along for the ride with their AD&D games and other role-playing.

And then the Change occurred, and Angie had found herself asking to be a sorceress. She was never quite sure why she asked for what she did…although she thought that on some level, this would allow her to continue to help Ash and Paul.

Low and behold, it did, as she found the world now resembling something out of her fantasy games, and Ash was a sword-swinging hero on a great adventure. And she'd come along for the ride, aiding Ash, Paul, and everyone else with her powers and magical abilities. She'd even taken down one of Xaxargas's Elite, a dark sorceress known as Necromancer.

And yet…when it was over…it seemed like she had nothing left to do. She'd joined the quest to help Ash and Paul, but in the process of it they'd grown up, and each realized their own dreams. She, on the other hand, really had no idea what to do.

She'd done her best. In memory of the old organization she had once worked for, Angie had founded the Acamy Temple Order of Magic, teaching her skills to others so they could also make use of the power of their new world. She had also begun a relationship with Brigh, but that had ended badly, breaking her heart in the process and making her hesistant to try to go down that road again.

And so her life had gone on, training her pupils and occasionally venturing off with Ash, his new wife, and her other new friends to go on adventures and fight for the side of good and whatnot. It was easy to ignore her feelings of unease in those situations.

Unfortunately, going down those roads had led her, and this situation definitely made her feel ill at ease.

Monsters she could handle, as she had demonstrated quite well when she had first shown up to confront Vagane and co. Goku, on the other hand…

It hadn't been a lot of fun for her. She hadn't been injured, unlike Ash or Lindsay, who had had their bell rung good by Goku. But at least they had gotten to fight. She, on the other hand, had been too close to a ki explosion and been tossed and rattled good. By the time she pulled herself together Erik was already leading a retreat, and she couldn't do much else but climb on.

Would this time be any different? Had she been reduced to the point where Ash and Paul needed her so little she didn't even get to fight?

Well, if that was the case, no matter how much she cared for them, they could both go screw themselves. She'd be damned if she'd just let herself be bowled over.

Besides, as Erik had outlined, if things screwed up, they would need her.

That was all she wanted. In an interesting role reversal, the one who had helped Ash and Paul deal with their incredible need to feel wanted now wanted to be wanted herself. 

And after things were said and done, she was sure life would find something else where she was needed.

If she came back alive.

The concept of life was on the forefront of Piccolo's mind, as he floated on the roof of Capsole Corps, legs and arms crossed, head bowed, eyes closed. He wanted to be as thorough in his meditation as possible. It could be the last time he ever got to meditate as a living, breathing being. It could be the last time, period.

Once Piccolo had not understood life. He had been born with the seed of his father's hatred firmly implanted in him, his desire for revenge flowing in Piccolo's veins. The fact that his father was pure evil had meant nothing to Piccolo. He had been charged to bring his wrath apon Goku's head, and he was going to obey. He had seemingly been given life for that sole purpose. If he did not honour it and spend every minute plotting on how to carry it out, it seemed he would cease to exist.

And so he had trained without rest or relaxation for three years, forcing his Namek body to grow up far quicker then it normally would in order to match Son Goku better. He drank, slept, and breathed the thought of Goku's destruction, awaiting the day when he would finally claim the revenge his father had so desired so badly as he died. Finally, the day had arrived.

And he had lost.

He had pulled every single trick in the book and even invented a few new ones, and he had still lost. The whole purpose of his life, a failure. And it had been made even worse by Goku choosing to let him live. Death, at least, would have ended his humiliation at failing at the love purpose he had been created, or so it seemed. In his choice, Goku was being far crueler to Piccolo then he could have ever imagined.

Piccolo had tried to forget the humilation, channeling his rage into even more furious training. Even when he had been forced to accept Son Goku as an ally to battle Garlic Jr, his hatred had never wavered. It was why he had been given life. It was absolute and not to be defied. His life was Son Goku's death.

And then Radditz had come.

Piccolo had thought his humilation was soul-shattering when Goku had defeated him. But the fact that Radditz had taken one of his most powerful blasts without even blinking was infinately worse. Goku, at least, would have had to block to avoid injury. Radditz hadn't even batted an eye.

Despite his loss, Piccolo had believed himself to be the most powerful being on the planet. And suddenly, within seconds, he had been reduced to seemingly nothing, something so small one could barely see it and be even less likely to care about it. His life had been reduced to nothing.

But he wasn't going to stand it, even if he once againt had to enlist Goku's aid. He was going to prove his life had meaning or die trying.

The battle had been long, hard, and beyond painful…but at the very end, it seemed that Fate was finally going to make up for all his humilation. Goku had Radditz held tight, and Piccolo knew that his Makkankosappo would pierce both their hearts. In one fell swoop, he would eliminate the one who had robbed his life of meaning, and the one who had defined his meaning. He would claim the revenge he and his father wanted.

And so he had fired. And so both Radditz and Goku had died.

And Piccolo had felt…nothing.

After all he had been through, Piccolo had dreamed of euphoria beyond imagining, a saitisfaction so great it would seemingly consume him. Instead…there had only been emptiness. And it was not just because Piccolo now knew an even greater enemy was coming. It wasn't because he now had to train the spawn of his worst enemy.

No…it was because he didn't understood why Goku had done what he had done. After how hard he had fought to keep Piccolo from killing him…how hard he had fought to defeat him…Goku had done the equivilant of standing with his arms open and telling Piccolo to blow his head off. He had seemingly given his life up for no reason at all.

Piccolo understood now, but he hadn't understood then. He had felt empty because Goku had not gone down to the blows of a superior warrior. In a sense, he had gone down for the sake of a population who hardly knew of him, of a few people whose lives were semeingly inconsiquental. He had gone down…for love.

It was called sacrifice. And Piccolo had not understood it.

He had tried, as he launched himself into yet another level of intensive training, for himself and for Gohan. He had tried to understand why Goku had done what he had done. And time and time again, he had failed. It frustrated him greatly, almost as much as his frustration that he couldn't become stronger faster.

Then he had started to train Gohan in earnest…and miracle of miracles, he had found the answer in him.

It had come to him in pieces. Despite all Piccolo was doing to him, all the abuse he was heaping on him, Gohan had tried to befriend Piccolo. Gohan couldn't have understood that Piccolo was just doing what he was doing to save his own skin. He'd seen Gohan's power, and he knew he would need it to fight the approaching Nappa and Vegeta. Once they were down (and at that time Piccolo had had no doubt they would go down to his fists), he would blast Gohan in the back without a second thought, deal with Goku once and for all, and then take over the world.

And even so, Gohan had tried to make Piccolo a friend. Piccolo, watching him sleep, had marveled and Gohan's seeming foolishness as night after night went by and Gohan's desire never wavered. Didn't he known who he was? What he had done to his father? What he would do to him as soon as it was all over?

But no, Gohan had never stopped. And Piccolo eventually began to think that even if he had known…nothing would have changed.

And eventually…Piccolo began to understand. This was why Goku had died. So this boy could live. So all people like him could live. Goku had devoted his life to protecting people like his son from people, or beings, like Piccolo. Piccolo had thought Goku's death was empty, a waste.

Instead…it was probably more fulfilling then anything, beyond anything Piccolo could have imagined that he would feel when he defeated Goku.

He was the one who was the waste. For all his power, and all he could do with it…all he cared about was the death of this man.

Surely there was more to life then that.

Even so, Piccolo could not help thinking Goku was still a fool for dying like he had, even as he continued to understand why.

Until he had found himself on the battlefield with Vegeta and Nappa, his offense having proved useless against even the weaker of the two, his glorious power once again shown to be nothing, and his pupil running scared every time the action got near him.

When Nappa had fired that blast at Gohan, he should have let the boy die.

He was useless.

He was weak.

He was the son of his worst enemy. He should have watched his death with relish.

Instead, he had found himself running towards Gohan, placing himself between the boy and the blast, protecting Gohan with his body.

The pain was beyond agonizing, white hot needles ripping through every cell of his body even as they tore his life away. It seemed that Fate had finally excuted it's verdict. Piccolo had been given life to destroy the life of another, and having ultimately failed to do so wholly, Fate was finally taking that life away.

But even as he fell, Piccolo knew that was all wrong. He had been wrong. He had always been wrong.

Life wasn't about the destruction of one man. That led to no fulfillment at all. Life was about an infinate number of possibilities, of futures, of so many things that could happen to one's self.

Goku had known that, and to protect that for Gohan, he had died.

And at last, Piccolo had seen it too. At last he knew.

And as he died…Piccolo had finally felt fufilled. At last he had saitisfaction.

It was ironic. Piccolo had thought he was the greatest curse that would ever exist for Son Goku, and instead Goku had blessed him in ways that Piccolo could never thank him for.

And now…it seemed that things had gone full circle. But at the same time, things had been reversed. Now Piccolo found himself fighting for the future. And Goku…Goku was now tainted by a man who desired destruction more then Piccolo ever could, and was beyond any kind of redemption that could be granted. And he deserved none either.

Piccolo opened his eyes, looking out at the sky. The sun would be setting soon. Soon…it would be time.

He knew he would be able to cut down Son Goku if he had the chance. It was not a matter of power, it was a matter of survival…to ensure that those who died had their revenge for having all their possible futures ripped from them, and for those who still lived not to suffer the same fate.

But…

Goku…such a great man…a great friend…a blessing to anyone he touched.

Piccolo knew that if he had to, he would kill Goku.

But…if Piccolo had to do that, he knew that the emptiness would return. And Piccolo doubted that anything else he could do in his lifetime could fill the void that would be there.

The only empty thing Paul was worrying about was an ammo clip.

The Flatliner had been taken apart and was now spread in front of him in a myraid of pieces. Paul was examining them to make sure no damage had been done to them by absorbing Goku's energy blast. If he was going back into that hellhole, he wanted to make sure absoluetly nothing could go wrong with his weapon. Plus, if it was damaged, his wife Laura would have a fit and make him sleep on the couch for a week.

Paul ceased his examination to think of his wife. He'd been married less then six months, but it seemed like a day. Time passed so quickly when you were with the one you loved.

Yet…Paul often found he wasn't there. He was always off trapizing around the world with Ash and everyone else, protecting those who couldn't protect themselves. It annoyed Paul sometimes, but if he was going to become the future mayor/ruler of Laura's town, Paul figured he should get all the wanderlust out of his body while he was young.

On the other hand…such wanderlust might very well cause him to never see his wife again.

He'd last seen her just before he'd wound up in this world. Her town's scientists had built the Gateway. Paul was sure she was on the other side back in her world, waiting for him and preparing to welcome him home with a kiss. Or maybe a slap. Paul could never tell.

But now…he was going up against a being that rivaled Xaxargas in power and evil.

Paul had fared better then the rest of his allies. He had actually managed to get a bullet through Goku's skin, which had been enough to cause Goku to try and dodge his other bullets. It had certainly impressed Vegeta and co, who were certain that Goku's great power all but rendered his skin bulletproof. Paul didn't know about that, or how his gun had gotten a slug through Goku. His bullets were charged with his power, true, but Goku's power was at least a million times his. Paul hadn't wasted his time thinking that over though. He'd just aimed and fired.

But one thing that the Z Warriors had stressed, especially Gohan, was that it would never happen again. Being shot once was enough for Goku to make sure that it never happened again. Hell, according to Gohan, it shouldn't have happened in the first place. But Paul had pulled it off. Somehow, in Goku's initial concentration on Gotenks, he had dropped his ki guard enough, intent on focussing it into destructive power to bring to bear on the fusion, so that Paul got one shot through. A million to one chance. It would never happen again.

Paul had known they were just warning him to be careful, but he'd also sensed some resentment and condemnation in the warning. But in the end, they were telling him that the decision, if he decided to make it, to shoot bullets at Goku again was the act of a fool.

But what else was he supposed to shoot at him? Goku had shrugged off everything else he had thrown at him without even a scratch. The only thing that had made any impact was that lone bullet. What did they want him to shoot at Goku? Jelly beans? Rubber chickens? Chibi-Usa?

Paul sighed, and started putting the Flatliner back together. He thought of Laura again. She'd built the Flatliner for him, and it had served him well. She was always doing things for him.

Well, he was damn sure gonna do something for her. Even if it was just coming back alive. He could work from there.

In a blur, the Flatliner was back together. Paul loaded some ammo and cocked it with a loud "CHI-CHAK!".

Paul had no intention of dying. And if everyone was saying that his gun would be utterly useless against Goku, well to hell with them.

He was going to see his wife again, and if he had to rain a billion bullets against Goku until one made it through his thick head, he was damn sure gonna do it.

Goten wanted to see his wife too.

Although he did not know it, everyone was thinking about the strangeness of certain things in their lives. Goten was no different. His thoughts went about how he and Marron had gotten together.

Oh, how he and Trunks had teased her as kids and early teens. But it was mostly her fault. She inisisted on tagging along with them and generally being an annoyance in her desire to be a friend of "one of the boys" or whatever her intentions were, Goten had never bothered asking, and so Goten and Trunks had been utterly merciless. While they never tried to actually hurt her feelings (they'd been taught too well for that), they would do their best to bug her or gross her out. Trunks, in particular, had been talented at composing crude and disgusting songs that would never fail to disgust Marron.

But all things must come to an end, and eventually Marron had drifted away from them and found her own friends. Strangely, Goten missed her, as did Trunks. But Trunks had just missed teasing her. Goten had missed Marron period.

Some time had passed, and eventually Marron had come back into his life again. But time truly changed things. Instead of an annoying girl, Marron was now a lovely young woman. However, she was also frail and far too trusting, and Goten, after all he had seen, feared that this would one day get her into trouble. Thus, he had befriended her again, more with the intention of serving of a substatute big brother then anything. People could call him a ladies man, and he had been in those days, but he could care, and after all he had seen, he knew vunerability was exploited by far too many people.

As he predicted, one had eventually found Marron. His real name Goten knew, but he prefered to just call him The Sleaze. After fighting pure evil, Gotne could see bad intentions, and the Sleaze had had them. Goten didn't want to tell Marron how to run her life, but he didn't want her getting hurt either. Thus he'd kep himself at a distance, ready to step in if necessary.

In the end he had had to, when the Sleaze tried to force himself on Marron clearly after Marron was refusing. Marron had tried to fight back, but her father, mother, or friends had never given her any training, and the Sleaze had managed to overpower her. However, he quickly found himself dealing with a very angry Goten. With the Sleaze taken care off, and with a great deal of saitisfaction at that, Goten had let Marron cry on his shoulder.

He hadn't expected to suddenly find them kissing. He's even less expected for Marron to initiate the kiss.

And things had gone from there. The two had grown closer and closer, surving everything, even Goten's bluff that he was giving Marron up to save his own skin when he had fought Agony. The lie had hurt Marron terribly, but it had hurt Goten even worse. Instead of saying the words, he'd wanted to chew them up, spit them out, and stomp on them. But they, in the end, had saved his and Marron's lives by distracting Agony, and Marron had forgiven him for them. Shortly after, they had been married, the ordeal showing Goten that he was ready to devote himself to Marron for life.

Now she was gone, in the hands of Vagane, with him doing god knows what to her, and if what Erik theorized was true, to their unborn child.

Goten bared his teeth in a snarl. Had he earned this somehow? Did he commit some slight that Fate, or Luck, or whatever, was punishing him for?

Had he not appreciated Marron enough?

Had the battlefield tainted him with a curse that he had infected Marron with as well?

Goten didn't know those things, but he knew one thing. Vagane was going to die. Die in pain beyond belief.

And he was going to be smiling. 

No. 

He was going to be laughing.

Victoria couldn't tell if she wanted to laugh or cry.

She had always loved dragons, the great giant lizards with wings and mystical powers. When the Change had occurred, she had wasted no time in making them a reality, with her at the helm of the largest clan of dragons. Of course, Xaxargas had just created the dragon species so he could laugh as one of his Elite exterminated it. That Elite, a giant brute named Mangle, had done his job well, but eventually he had fallen to Victoria's fangs, claws, and the inner fire all dragons commanded, as well as those of her clan. Then Xaxargas had fallen.

Victoria had come out of that thinking the power of the dragon was the greatest of all. None could compare to it. She even joked she could eat Erik or her brother Ash if they ever fought.

Then she'd met Goku, a man changed by magical artifacts called Dragon Balls, and she'd been crushed.

She hadn't even got to fight him, although after looking at Lindsay she was rather glad of that. Like Angie, she'd been caught by an errant ki explosion, and while she hadn't been knocked senseless, she'd been thrown a fair distance. Not wanting to turn into a dragon from far away and give Goku plenty of time to aim at her much bigger frame, she'd been forced to head back on foot. With the ground being treacherous and the constant shocks from Goku's attacks, by the time she'd gotten back Erik was running up to her and ordering a retreat.

She didn't know whether to sit back and laugh about it, or get angry and sorrowful on how badly she, her brother, her best friend, and all her teammates had been utterly pummeled. She was not used to such abuse.

However, Son Goku would find her nerve would not be lessened. Who cared if he was a member of the mightiest warrior race in the universe, or perhaps anywhere, and that he was the mightiest of that race, the true Legendary Super Saiya-jin? She was a dragon, and got help her, if she could, she was going to make Goku a snack!

Then Victoria smirked. Surely Son Goku wouldn't let himself be eaten. Even if she managed to get him in her mouth, a miracle in itself, he'd probably just punch his way out.

And he probably tasted bad too.

Victoria stood, cracking her knuckles and neck. Well, come what may, she still commanded the power of the dragon, and she had every intention to use it, to the best of her ability.

Son Goku had made wishes on dragons many times. It was time for him to see the power they wielded, and what happened when they were pissed off.

Son Gohan was doubting the power of dragons, or more specifically, the power of Shen Lon.

He remembered it clearly. The day after he'd defeated Cell, when the Dragon Balls had been gathered once more. Once the dead were revived, Krillian had wished for his future wife and brother in law to be human, and Shen Long had been unable to grant it. It was beyond his power.

If Shen Lon had been unable to change Seventeen's and Eighteens's altered flesh back to the normal flesh, like the kind that Gohan had, then surely it could not have completely banished his father to oblivion. He had to be in there, somewhere.

But while Gohan was sure that his father still lived, he was utterly clueless on how to get him back. The only thing he could think of was the Dragon Balls, and they were gone. Vagane had plotted well.

Doubt gave way to despair. Even when utterly furious, he hadn't been able to bring himself to actually hurt his father. Self defense (as good as that had done him) was about as far as he could go. With the Mystic talent, a talent he had neglected due to his rage, Gohan stood the best chance outside of Vegeta of matching his father's power…but what good would it do if he had to kill his father and couldn't?

He had sworn to Erik…but in his heart, he was filled with doubt. Could he murder his own father. He could murder the monster that resided in his father's body with no problem, but the chance that the man who he had held so dear to his heart might still be there, and be condemned to death as well as the inhuman presense that was now pulling the strings…

Gohan felt like crying. His father had tried to give him the killer instinct of a warrior, and his mother had tried to give him the genius of a scholar…and both were utterly useless to him now. He had never felt more helpless.

"I can't do it Dad."

Gohan looked up suddenly to his daughter, who was standing in front of him. She, like him, looked to be on the verge of tears.

"I keep thinking and thinking…and I can't do it. I can't say I will kill Grandfather if I have the chance. I said so back with Erik…and after what he did, I thought I could. I attacked him back at Satan City with no hesitation…but I've been thinking over what Erik said. What is Granddad is still in there? What if he can be freed and we just don't know how? How can I…I can't do it! I can't kill him!"

Gohan stared, looking at the miserable look on his daughter's face. So his feelings were mirroed in her, except hers were even more severe. He sighed.

"Pan…come here." Gohan said, gathering his daughter in his arms. "I know how hard this is. But we have to do anything to free your mother. I know that Grandfather is still in there…I know it. But time is running out. If we don't act…we could all be doomed. So we have to act. And kami forgive us…we may have to kill your grandfather."

"No…" Pan sobbed.

"Pan…I know how much it hurts, and I will claim vengeance on the man who has caused us all this pain…but we have no choice. If it comes down to it…we'll have to kill him."

"But why!?!??!" Pan wailed. For that, Gohan had no answer. Instead, he hugged his daughter tightly.

__

Vagane…you will suffer…for all the pain you've caused and have yet to cause, for all the lives you've stolen and have yet to steal…I wil take you and your twisted vision and consign it to the fires of oblivion where it rightly belongs! I will send you to damnation, Vagane, and if I can find a way to free my father, and I know there is a way, he'll be by my side when I do it!

****

Big fight.

"Yeah." Ash said, sitting on his chair and staring at the wall.

**__**

Could be our biggest ever.

"Yeah." Ash repeated, his eyes never wavering.

**__**

Ok, THAT'S IT! I tried being solemn, but one, it sucks, and two, you are driving me nuts with your broken record act! DO SOMETHING! Scream, cry, laugh, go kiss Chris…did I just say that?

Ash was looking at his sword now, and as the blade spoke, a slight smile crept over his face.

"I do believe that is a first."

**__**

Great. Well, the point is Ash, if you're sitting there doubting your power and worth AGAIN, stop it right now or you can go unarmed. Yeah, you were a whiny kid once, but when I met you you sure as hell weren't any more. And while I may see flashes of what Erik decried, I think that those feelings have been locked away and kept under control. You are a hero, Ash. Don't doubt it. Just be prepared to do the duty that comes with it.

"It's not that Soulfire. It's just that…I've been thinking about myself. Not my abilities, myself. What did I want out of life? Two things. I wanted respect from the general populice which I thought was always laughing at me, and I wanted love. I got it. Killing Xaxargas made me a hero, and Christine…it just feels so right with her. It doesn't matter what's going on, everything just feels so right when I'm with her. My dreams…accomplished. I really have nothing else to do. Does this mean my time has come? Am I destined to fall so another hero can come and accomplish what he desires?"

**__**

Ah, you are questioning your mortality. You humans.

"Hey Soulfire, you were the one who got blasted. I just got punched. Hard. I can still feel it."

**__**

Yeah…well you got knocked down, and you got up again, and you ain't gonna let Goku keep you down…!

"Argh! Ok, I'll stop thinking of depressing things if you stop singing!"

**__**

Heh heh heh. Works every time.

"You oughtta do that against Goku. He'll probably keel over and surrender right then and there." Christine said as she came into the room, smiling slightly. Evidently, she had been listening in again.

**__**

Ah! I have been spurned! Rejected! I shall…

"Throw yourself into the sea, yeah, go ahead." Ash said, dropping his sword and kicking it under the bed.

**__**

Hey! This ain't the sea! It's about 860 miles that way!

"Funny, I don't believe that." Ash said, looking at his wife. Soulfire started to say something else, but then realized Ash's intentions and fell silent.

"Chris…"

Then Christine put her forefinger to Ash's mouth, quieting him.

"Ash, I've never thought about what I would do if I was living the last hours of my life. Know that I thinking about it, there are so many things I want to do, with you and everyone else. But…there's one thing above all. Just hold me."

Ash was silent, but as Christine slipped into his arms, she felt his grip tighten on her protectively and that was all she needed to know.

They stood like that for a long time.

**__**

Hey, Bulma needs to hire better help! I don't think this bed was vacumned under since the debut of Pokemon!

Vegeta adjudted his gloves for seemingly the millionth time and continued staring at the wall.

So it had come to this. His final battle against Kakarott…and it was like this. The roles had been reversed. When he'd fought him all those years ago, Kakarott had been the hero defending his planet, and he the savage who wanted nothing more to ravage the Earth, whether or not he got immortality. Now…he was still a savage, in his own mind, all saiya-jins were, but now his priorities had been restructured by life. This planet was inconsiquental, but his family lived on it, and he wasn't going to let it get destroyed while that fact still held.

His family…

Vegeta thought back to Agony. It had been the worst week of his life. He had never truly appreciated what Bulma and his children had grown to mean to him…until they had been taken away by that lunatic bitch. He knew his species would call him weak for such feelings, but if that was the case, then he was weak. That same weakness and grief had allowed him to achieve the SSJ4 state and ultimately destroy Agony for her crimes. And when he'd been reunited with his family, he'd been happier then he'd ever been in his life. He took more joy in them then in any activities he could have had in any other life, whether as ruler of Vegetasei, as a slave of Freiza, or something else.

Yet…once again he was putting his family at risk. Bra and Trunks would be accompanying him to the battlefield, and Bulma would be monitoring it from afar. Vegeta shuddered. Bulma had lost her mind from seeing what Agony had done to Bra/ What if she had to witness a simular brutality, not just to Bra, but to Trunks…or him…?

No.

Without knowing it, Vegeta had found himself up on his feet and walking through the hallways, not knowing where he was heading, and yet knowing better then anything else.

He would not let his son, daughter, and mate…no, wife be hurt again. He was SSJ4 as well as Kakarott. The bastard had singled him out for humilation. He would make sure he paid.

Hell…maybe even a fatal beating would be the thing to bring the "real" Kakarott back. Vegeta smirked. Perhaps the thing he was to face again truly was Kakarott. Perhaps if the gentle, caring nature of the man he had known most of his life returned…Vegeta would start calling him Goku. If Kakarott was what he was to face, he suddenly had a much greater preference for his Earth-give name.

But at the same time…he knew he would cut the saiya-jin down. But not for his revenge. Not to put the final end to the feud between them.

No.

And as the door opened, and Vegeta entered the laboratory, he saw his main reason, as Bulma and Bra looked away from their conversation and Trunks looked up from some notes he was examining.

"Father." Trunks said, as he looked at his father, once again dressed in the chest-plate body armour that he'd worn for so many years. "You're…wearing your old clothes."

Old clothes. How ironic. Old clothes for a new time. A time he would ensure his family had.

Even if it meant his death.

Bra looked on as her father stopped. He appeared to be struggling with something.

Then her eyes widened in shock as her father suddenly hugged her. Trunks was just as surprised as his father did the same to him. Bulma joined the trio in surprised as her husband reached out and held them all together.

"Despite all I have said, or might say, or all that might happen, I just want you to know, that of all the things I've seen and had in life…I treasure you more then anything, and I always will. And I swear…on all my power…we will all come back from this alive, and I will watch you live your lives as I grow old. This is my solemn promise. On my blood, my royalty…and my love. I will make sure you have a future."

The three were silent, as Vegeta broke the hug. Then he smirked with one corner of his mouth.

"Now…let us show Vagane the power of the Briefs family, and of the saiya-jin and human race!"

And in a dark corner, Erik smirked slightly to himself and procceded to leave as he was doing when Vegeta had entered. Perhaps above all of them, of all his teammates, friends, and people he had observed, Vegeta was ready.

Whether it would be enough, Erik did not know.

Celeste was not thinking, for she was asleep.

Unlike Erik, she occassionally needed to rest, and she had decided she had best be totally fresh for the upcoming battle. She needed to be at peace.

But within her head…it was anything but peaceful, as old memories, no longer bound and locked away by the prison of consciousness, came flooding through her, and her ravaged soul was suddenly stirred up into a furious storm.

__

Little bitch…

Fucking cunt…

Just a tool…

Celeste began to stir in her sleep, as slight noises emerged from her throat, pure sounds of distress and fear. Memories of terrible pain continued to flow through her.

__

Just my bitch…

Never be anything else…

"No…" Celeste murmured, as her thrashings increased, her hands clenching into tight fists.

__

Little fuck-bitch…

Worthless…

Should just cut your throat and feed you to the rats, but I doubt they want you either, your little cunt…

Worthless…

Celeste's knuckles whitened.

__

Little bitch…

Nothing…

Just a tool…

Worthless…

Fuck-bitch…

Nothing more…

Nothing…

Garbage…

Sack of flesh…

Worthless…

Nothing…

NEVER BE ANYTHING BUT WHAT WE WHAT!

"Celeste! Wake up!"

Krillian had passed by the doors and heard moans coming from the room. Quickly discerning that he wasn't interrupting anything, he'd opened the door and found Celeste thrashing on the bed. It was quite obvious she was having a nightmare, and a bad one. Krillian decided she would be happier if she was awake, and had gone to wake her up, shaking her and calling out to her.

Mistake.

Krillian gasped as Celeste suddenly sat up and grabbed him with a grip that was like steel, and before he knew what was happening he was suddenly slammed against the opposite wall so hard it knocked the wind out of him.

Then he felt the cold sharpness against his throat, and he gasped as he looked down and saw Celeste with her daggers stabbed across his neck, pinning him to a wall. She was taller then him and thus had drawn him about a foot off the floor, and the only thing that had kept him from his full weight resting on the daggers's edges was his ability to fly, which had kicked in instinctively to save his life.

"Not your fuck bitch! I'M NOT WORTHLESS! I'M YOUR DESTROYER, YOU MOTHERFUCKERS!" Celeste suddenly screamed, and Krillian looked into Celeste's eyes. It was obvious she was still in the grip of the dream.

Krillian, even as he tried to keep his throat and neck from being cut, stared in horror into Celeste's eyes, which were full of anger, hatred, and above all else, a desire for revenge. She wasn't looking at Krillian. She was looking at the images from her past that had torn through her mind.

And then Krillian felt the daggers, crossed over his neck in a V shape, begin to draw tighter, and he realized that the grip of the past was so strong that Celeste might kill him before she snapped out of it.

"No! Celeste! I'm not…!" Krillian panicked, as he felt the blades begin to bite into his neck.

"Kill you. KILL YOU ALL!" Celeste screamed. Krillian finally realized he had no choice and brought up his hands to melt the daggers.

To his shock, his ki didn't do anything, and his panic went into full scale overdrive.

"No! Celeste! Don't!"

Celeste didn't hear Krillian. She was beyond hearing, in the full grip of righteous rage, and she was going to extract her pound of flesh for all that those bastards and bitches had done to her…

"CELESTE! STOP!"

The male voice penetrated through the fog her brain was roiled in, even as Erik ran to her side, grabbed her arms, and forced the daggers away from Krillian. Krillian let out a gasp of relief as the daggers drew away from him, and then Erik yanked them out of the wall. He fell and his knees gave out, as he looked at Erik as he yanked Celeste to face him.

And as he watched, he saw Celeste slowly coming out of the state she had been, the blind murderous rage that had caused her to strike out at him. He felt warmth and reached up to feel blood trickling from the sides of his neck. He'd been lucky. If Erik had been half a second late, Celeste would had cut through both the arteries in his neck, and he'd have most likely bled to death. Taking his hands away, he saw Celeste turn towards him, finally back in control of herself.

"Oh Krillian…oh god I'm so sorry…I…I'm so sorry…please don't hate me…" Celeste said, her voice now filled with realization and pain over what she'd just done.

Krillian didn't know what to say. On one hand, the girl had just tried to kill him. On the other, she had clearly not been herself when she had acted.

Then he saw the look Erik was giving him.

"It's…ok. I understand." Krillian said. Erik had, in his eyes, been asking Krillian to understand, but underneath that look had been one that said "She's hurting badly enough as it is, hurt her any more and I'LL cut your throat". "It was an accident…not your fault." And in the end, it wasn't.

"Go see Diana, she'll fix you up. My apologies that this happened, Krillian. I hope you won't hold a grudge."

"No no." _Just an air of caution. Dear kami, I'd hated to be whoever Celeste was seeing me as._ Krillian thought as he left the room, holding his neck. Although he didn't want to admit it, he didn't want to be anywhere near Celeste at the moment, and was secretly glad she'd be going after the machine.

Now alone, Erik turned Celeste back to face him. Celeste lowered her head in shame, even as she tried to hold back a tidal wave of feelings. She'd had these dreams before, and she knew what happened. First came pure anger…and then…sorrow. And she wasn't going to show that in front of Erik. _I won't…I won't…_

"Celeste, don't hold it back."

Celeste looked up.

"I know how much it hurts. Let it out."

Celeste's lower lip began to tremble, and then she began to cry, a torrent of tears as old fears, shames, and cruelties flowed through her.

"Shhhhhh…shhhhhhh…it's ok. It's the past…it can't hurt you any more." Erik said, trying to be soothing as he sat down and let Celeste cry on his shoulder. He knew just what she had been having a nightmare about, and he knew how much it hurt. He knew far too well.

So he continued to hold Celeste as comfortingly as he could, as her body, wracked with sobs, shook in his grip, and her tears moistened the material of his all-black body outfit.

"It's ok. Don't think crying makes you weak. It's ok." Erik continued to whisper, even as he raged inwardly at the people who had done this to Celeste. Celeste continued to cry, holding onto Erik like he was her mother…a mother Erik had failed to save. His first of many crimes against Celeste.

Celeste finally began to run out of steam, but Erik continued to whisper soothingly to her.

"I know…they hurt you…but they're dead. You destroyed all of them…and those who esaped we hunted down and destroyed for their crimes. You avenged yourself. They paid the price for what they did to you. I made sure they suffered ten times what you did." Erik whispered. Celeste drew away from him, wiping away tears, as she looked at Erik, who brushed back her hair.

"I know…but it still…it hurts…"

"I know…I know how much it hurts…but you don't have to cry alone. I'll always be there for you. I swear it. I'll never let you get hurt again. Never. I will protect you from all those who want to hurt you. I let you go once…I'll never do it again. Never. I promise." Erik said, and he meant it. After what he, his arrogance, and neglect had caused to happen to Celeste, he would never let the cruel hearts of men and women touch her again.

Celeste sniffed a few more times as she heard Erik speak, and the feelings flooding through her were suddenly replaced with new ones. _Oh Erik…people can call you crazy and a monster all they want, but I know…you've got such a kind, caring heart…and I…I…_

And then Celeste found herself leaning forward and up towards Erik, her eyes closing, her actions taking over her thoughts as she drew towards Erik's face.

Erik froze, all his muscles stiffening as Celeste leaned up and towards him. Celeste couldn't find the words, but her body spoke for her. 

And then she felt Erik draw away from her, and she opened her eyes to find herself kneeling alone on the bed. Erik was in the doorway, looking back at her.

"Erik…?" Celeste asked, asking two questions at once. Erik looked back…and then turned away.

"I have to go. We're going to attack soon. I have to be ready. Make sure you are too." Erik said, and then he was gone, leaving Celeste alone. She stared after him, wondering if she had done something wrong.

Had she been rejected…or…something else?

And as she knelt there, Goten turned to his brother from where they were watching.

"You see?" Goten said, indicating with his arms. Gohan nodded.

"I think that this might have to be addressed after all…there is definitely something there…and I think for Erik's sake we'll have to confront him. From what I saw…he doesn't seem to want to do it himself, no matter how much he deserves it."

The plan was nice and simple, which was how Goten prefered it. His brother was the brains of the family, and Goten was content to have it that was. If Gohan wanted to sketch out complicated plans, more power to him. In the time frame they had, Goten thought his way would be best.

Confront Erik, point out to him the situation which seemed obvious to everyone but him, and if be, beat him over the head with it until Erik listened or ran off, whichever came first.

He hadn't discussed this plan with his brother, but for once Gohan had agreed to let him do most of the talking. Goten, in his own way, knew Erik better. He'd been there for the hospital scene, which gave him greater insight (and greater worries) into who Erik was. 

After hearing Celeste's almost silent and lonely declaration, Goten had done some of his own thinking about Marron when he had spied Erik out of the corner of his eye. Seeing him had reminded Goten of what Celeste had said, and he decided it might be better if he distracted himself away from bad thoughts. He'd follwed Erik until Erik had observed his brother, and when Erik had moved on, Goten had spoken to him. After a brief explanation, made hurried because Goten didn't want to lose Erik, Gohan had agreed to follow Erik as well. Goten had filled Gohan in more along the way, and Gohan said he had noticed some of the same things himself. After the bedroom scene, Goten had decided he was through with the sneaking. Now he was gonna do some talking.

So he and his brother had followed Erik into yet another empty lounge (Goten had never noticed how many lounges Capsole Corp had, but it was a big corperation with lots of employees).

Immediately, Goten was glad he was through with the sneaking.

Erik was standing in the middle of the room, a table near him. He was looking down at the object he was raising up.

It was a modern day six-shooter, the kind police had once carried before it became obsolete. Nevertheless, it was still a gun, and Erik had apparently just finished loading it.

As Goten and Gohan watched in shock, Erik began bringing it up towards his head.

"ERIK, NO!"

Erik paused, the gun held up, as he turned towards the two brothers.

"Oh. Hello Gohan, Goten. I do wish you hadn't followed me, I would have prefered no witnesses in case I fail." Erik said.

"No! Erik, it's not worth it! You can't quit! I know you're strong enough to work through the pain! Don't do it!" Gohan and Goten said practically at once. The out of sync voices degenarated their voices into a confused jumble, but the message was clear.

Then, to their surprise, Erik smirked.

"Oh you two. You think I'm giving in to pain and desperation and commiting suicide? Far from it."

Goten and Gohan calmed down. But the fact that Erik kept the gun raised kept the panic from fading completely.

"Well Erik, if that's not the case, what are you doing?" Gohan asked. Erik chuckled, but there was no joy in it. Only bitterness and mirth.

"Let me just say…it is a test."

"A test?"

"Yes, Goten. As you might have guessed, I have been observing you all, and despite all your individual torments, worries, and fears, you are all ready to go forward, perhaps to certain death. It comforts me, in a way. I am glad to call you friends. You all bear the markings of heros. But…I fear that in our chain, there is a weak link. I think it may be me."

"What? No Erik! You're not weak!" Goten babbled, trying to get Erik to put the gun down. If he was thinking rationally, he would have just gone SSJ and blasted the gun, or used his super speed to grab it. But Goten wasn't thinking rationally, and besides, he didn't know just how fast Erik could be, especially when all he had to do was raise the gun and pull the trigger.

"Maybe not. But I may weaken the team. As you have seen, Goten, everything Vagane does is a way of striking at me. Despite his aloofness, he loathes me. I disgust him. I was to be his greatest weapon, and instead I nearly destroyed him. Becoming a new Creation is one thing, but my destruction is another. And to ensure it, he may do anything. Nothing is beyond him. And I shudder to think what could befall you, my friends…my sister…just for the sake of his revenge. Everyone, in a way, comes through me."

Erik looked down at the gun.

"So…I need to know. I speak of the cruelties of fate, but I have no idea what fate has planned for me. So I have taken this gun to see. Call it Russian Roulette for Fools. The game is usually played with one bullet. I have loaded five."

Gohan and Goten were alike in their looks of disbelief.

"If I am to go with you, then the barrel will land on the lone empty chamber. I will accept the lot and go on. And if not…then Vagane will have lost his prime objective. It may confuse him enough for you to strike him down. Celeste can take out the device by herself, I know it. This is my way of knowing. Can I prevent the possibility of visiting more pain on you because of who I am, or am I bound to go on no matter what?"

"Erik…you don't have to do this! No matter what happens, we won't blame you!"

"Oh, Goten? Will you still think that way if you find your wife dead, or broken beyond repair? Will you think that way, Gohan? Will you think that way if you have to kill your father? Will you feel that way if your brother dies, Goten, or if your daughter dies, Gohan? I do not think ill of you or little of your mental and emotional strength. But sometimes no barriers can hold what emotions bring forth in a person. If I can prevent those emotions…then my death is of no consequence. I need to know if this is the way it is supposed to be. If not…I know you can do it, Goten. Vagane wants me. So I will see if I can deny him that."

Erik began to raise the gun again.

"No! Erik! Your death will just give him what he wants!"  
"I doubt it. He wants me to suffer, until I am broken like the ruined child he found. This will be quick and instant. The fact that he was denied all he could do to be may be enough to unhinge him and let you win."

The fact that Erik thought he was helping them by virtually comitting suicide shook Goten. He glanced at his brother, and he could see the same look in his eyes. In a split second, with one look, they knew they would have to switch gears.

"No Erik! You don't have to do this! What about us, your friends?" Gohan said.

"As I told your brother earlier, you may mourn, but you will get over it." Erik said, fixing the barrel against his forehead.

"What about your sister?" Gohan added.

"She has friends and a man who loves her more then anything. She can go on without me." Erik said, as he reached up and spun the barrel around. The slight buzzing noise the barrel made while spinning crashed against Goten like thunder as it came to a stop.

"What about Celeste?" Goten said.

Erik said nothing, as he cocked the hammer back. Goten knew he should have ran forward and tried for the gun. Instead, he found himself screaming.

"ERIK, SHE LOVES YOU!"

The words hit Erik like a series of small blows, his body jerking slightly as he looked back at Goten.

And then he lowered the gun. Goten felt relief flow through him. Erik sighed.

"You think I don't know that?"

The fear exploded through Goten again, as Erik's voice sounded like he was going to bring the gun back up to his head. Finally exploding into action, Goten blasted across the room and yanked the gun out of Erik's hand, slamming it onto the table.

Erik drew away as Gohan came to his brother's side. Erik reached up, rubbing his hand.

"Careful Goten. Mind your strength." Erik said.

Goten stared at Erik, his hands on the table.

"Erik…I've seen it. The way she looks at you, the way she acts when you're around and not around…the way she acted in that bedroom! I thought you were blind, the way you didn't seem to notice it!"

"What seems and what is is quite different, Goten." Erik said, lowering his hand. The fact that moments ago he had been on the verge of blowing his brains out didn't seem to affect him at all. Goten was still shaking slightly. _How can he be so cool, so calm? Did he murder his emotions somehow, sparing only those that would aid in his butchery of the wicked and the saving of those he felt were Pure?_

"I've known Celeste barely six months. She came out of nowhere. I came to a city and found someone was mimicing my style, killing the wicked, or so it seems. I was not amused. I didn't like copycats, mainly because I did not think that person could truly see those who were beyond redemption and those who still had a chance. So I hunted the person down. Despite their skill, they were still new at what they were doing, and I was able to track them. I expect to find some kind of lunatic. Instead I found Celeste."

"You knew her?" Gohan asked. Erik darkened slightly.

"Yes, but how is not revelant. She was certainly happy to see me. In short, she wanted me to take her under her wing. I refused. I doubted her skills and her abilities. I am happy to say she proved me wrong. She could match me in just about anything, save experience. That, and she saved me from walking into an ambush made me relent and give her a chance."

Erik smirked slightly, the same bitter smirk.

"I never looked back. Celeste and I…we were alike in ways I couldn't believe. We connect on levels I expected no one to ever understand. I always expected to stalk the night alone, and die alone. Suddenly, I had an ally, someone to watch my back and offer a hand when I was down. I actually had…a friend. The Legacy are my friends…but I don't truly know any of them save outside battle and missions. With the exception of Christine, who I later learned was my long lost sister, and Chastity, and occasionally Ash…I never saw any of them outside of missions. My lone friend was the darkness, and justice. And then Celeste came along. It wasn't until I was with her until I learned how lonely the shadows were…and just how lonely I was."

The realization hit Goten like a bolt of lighting. He was a fool for not seeing it before.

"You love her too."

Erik did not answer. Instead he turned away.

Goten cut him off, zipping in front of him.

"Oh no, not again! You aren't running away! I want some answers! Like, if you love her, WHY DID YOU LEAVE? You two should be together back there! Instead, Celeste is still probably sitting on the bed wondering if she did the wrong thing, and you're in here trying to kill yourself!"

"Goten, I wasn't…"

"SCREW YOUR REASONING! THE FACT IS, WHY DID YOU DO WHAT YOU DID!??!?!?!?" Goten roared, getting incredibly frustrated by Erik's masochitic attitude.

"For her sake."

Goten went into a full 180 turn, metaphorically anyway, as his yells of frustration and rage vanished.

"For her sake?"

"Erik, that makes no sense." Gohan added. Erik smirked his his bitter smirk again. He seemed to be doing that a lot.

"Is it?" Erik muttered. "My blood is cursed, infected with a taint of damnation. Anyway who I dare touch, or let touch me…they suffer death, or worse. It began with my family. Did I ever mention I hated my baby sister, Christine, when I was a kid? It was youthful selfishness, because she got so much attention, something I most likely would have grown out of. But that "hatred" didn't extend to my parents and other sisters. I loved them. And lo and behold, Agony slaughtered all but the one I thought I hated. Then Vagane turned me into this before I rebelled and destroyed him and his dream, or so I thought. I spent seven years as a vigilante before the Change occurred. You think I didn't meet anyone during those years? For convience, or by situation, I befriended a few people, from various walks of life. Would you like to know where they are now?"

"Dead." Gohan said, already knowing the answer. Again, the bitter smirk.

"Bravo. I have many many enemies, Gohan, Goten. Vagane and Agony may be the worst, but they are but the tip of the iceberg, the top of the scores of people who want me dead. But I proved to be very slippery. So when they couldn't strike me down, they struck down anyone who had even been associated with me. All the people I dared to befriend, I wound up murdering. No matter how hard I tried to hide any links to people, the truth was invitably realized. Celeste was one of them, but she survived…somehow. But the rest…all dead. All my fault. It continues to this day. Do you know how many people have tried to kill Legacy members to get to me? They have failed because of the power my allies wield, but the attempts will go on until I am dead. Or they all are. I'm working on the latter."

Goten resisted an urge to giggle. Despite his serious and bitter tone, Erik certainly sounded like he was making a joke.

"People went after those I befriended for revenge against me. Even if it was the slightest aquaintance, they killed them anyway. Do you have any idea what would happen if it was revealed to the world I had a woman I loved?"

"But…"

"But nothing. After what I've done to Celeste, after how much I've come to care about her…I can't place that kind of mark on her. I have no right to. I know she loves me…but I can't tell her the same. It will damn her. So…that is the way it must go."

Goten was getting mad again.

"No, it doesn't."

Erik looked over to Goten, apparently planning to offer another rebuttal, but Goten cut him off.

"Erik, you said it. Celeste is as skilled as you are! She can handle just about any threat! And I heard what you said? You said you would protect her. Are you aware in your attempt to keep her from getting hurt, you are hurting her terribly? She's virtually screaming for you to love her, to hold her! Why can't…"

"She may love me, but that won't last. I'll make sure of it. Once that's done, I'll set her off on her own life, so she won't be tainted by me any more…"

Gohan suddenly slammed his hand on the table, cutting off Erik and Goten as he was about to retort.

"There is something more here." Gohan said quietly. "You two will keep running in circles unless I speak up. This goes beyond a need to protect someone you care about, Erik. There is something else more powerful in your determination to keep Celeste from knowing how you feel, despite the knowledge of her feelings. And it's pretty clear to me. Guilt."

Erik was silent. Gohan adjusted his glasses.

"Your body language when Celeste tried to…reach out to you, Erik, was more then a "I can't let her get close" motion. No, it was more along the lines of a "I don't deserve this" motion. You keep talking about what you did to Celeste, Erik. Tell me, what crime in your mind did you commit that you feel you deserve to suffer rather then admit you love her?"

Erik continued to stare, and then he began to chuckle. Once again, only the sound of mirth came from the laugh.

"You are truly quite astute, Gohan. You saw straight to my inner core, my heart of hearts. So, you want to know the truth? Fine. I'll tell you how in the arrogance and foolishness of trying to be a hero, I ruined Celeste."

"Ruined her? Erik…" Goten began. Erik cut him off with a look.

"I failed my family and as penance I was destined to hunt the night alone, until my death. But in my youth I didn't realize this, and I dragged Celeste into it. And in the process, I caused her suffering, torment, and humilation no one should have to endure except the truly wicked. And Celeste was not wicked. She was one of the sweetest little girls I ever met."

"Wait a minute, how old is she?"

"Twenty, but when I met her, she was nine. She didn't have much, since her father ran away the instant he found out that Celeste's mother, Sylvia, was pregnant. But her mother loved her, and she loved her mother, and although they didn't have much money or a lot of the "good things" in life, they were happy, which is more then I can say for a lot of people. They lived a fairly content life. Then Sylvia started dating a man named Donald. Donald seemed to be just the average joe, a numbers cruncher. The two hit it off. Sylvia loved Donald and Celeste liked him too. It looked like they might actually have a complete family. Then it all went to hell. You see, Donald's job wasn't as honest as he said. In reality, he worked for several criminal organizations, including the Mafia. And at the same time, he was stealing from them. They found out. Donald headed for the hills, but not before he managed to give his pursuers the idea that Sylvia was in on it. In reality, she had no idea, but they didn't know that. And what people don't know…can hurt others. A lot."

__

Look who's talking. Goten thought briefly.

"They went after Sylvia. She didn't know anything about the money, but the men of the people Donald had worked for didn't know that, and by the time they realized it, Donald would be long gone. He'd set Sylvia up as the perfect sacrifical lamb. They took her, thinking Donald cared about her enough that he'd bring back the money. In reality Donald was probably already halfway across the world. Celeste didn't want those men hurting her mother, but she was a little girl, and seeing how they didn't need her, they beat her up and dumped her in an alleyway. Why they didn't just kill her, I don't know. Maybe they had a soft spot. But they still had Sylvia, and the instant they found out she was useless to them she was surely dead. While they might have had qualms about killing a little girl, they certainly didn't have one about adults. So they had Celeste's mother, and Celeste was left crying in an alleyway. Enter I."

Erik ground his teeth slightly.

"Celeste's plight touched me, despite my efforts not to let it, and I swore to her I would get her mother back for her. Here's where I made my first mistake. I should have put her someplace safe, like a hospital or the police. Instead, I brought her with me. Oh, I wasn't an idiot, I didn't drag her onto the battlefield, but I brought her in the vicinity of it because she helped me track down the ones who took her mother. Once I knew, I left Celeste nearby and went on the offense. That's where I made my second, far more terrible mistake. I, Vengeance, at one with the darkness, decided that instead of sneaking in and picking off the kidnappers one by one, I was just going to storm in and ravage the place. I couldn't really help it. I was high on anger at what these men had tried to do to ruin Celeste and Sylvia's happy life. And in the process I ruined it far worse then they ever could."

Erik ground her teeth harder.

"I think the kidnappers had met up with some of their associates for some reason after they'd kidnapped Sylvia, for the number I encountered seemed far too high just to abduct one woman. I went crazy, tearing them all down. But the higher numbers had allowed some to stay with Sylvia, who was trapped on the forth floor of the building the kidnappers were in. One got back to them, and revealed that I was attacking them. I had only been around a few months, but my name had already spread. They panicked, and decided their own lives were better then the money. I'm sure Sylvia had kept insisting she didn't know anything…dear god, if only I'd been quiet about it…"

Erik shook his head, expressing shame to himself.

"When I arrived…the kidnappers were gone…and I found Sylvia, dead in the chair, tied up. They'd shot her in the head just before they'd left. I was so shocked and horrified at my failure that I didn't notice the large number of explosives gathered around her until it was almost too late. Unknown to me, such explosives had been set in the lower levels as well. Apparently, they considered the building expendable if it took me with it. I didn't have any choice but to run. It would have made a great movie scene, as I ran and dove out the window just as the explosives went off. I didn't get too badly hurt…but Celeste…the explosion made her come out of the building across the street I had hidden her in. And she was so shocked that she ran towards the building, just as the lower half exploded. Right in her face."

__

Oh no…Goten said. He now had an idea where this was going.

"The fact that she wasn't outright killed was a miracle. But she wasn't unscathed. She got a face full of shrapnal, destroying her eyes and nearly frying her brain. I found her crumbled at the other end of the street like a rag doll. She looked so fragile…so damaged…and it was all my fault. I'd failed her and her mother, just like my family. I was so ashamed that all I could do was take her to a hospital and leave her there. I watched her from afar until I was sure she was going to live. At least in a sense. Because when I left, unable to look her in the face, she was in a coma, blind for the rest of her life. My fault. My doing. I tainted her with my damnation."

Erik was silent. So were Gohan and Goten, but eventually the latter spoke up.

"But Erik…she's not blind, is she? I mean, I saw…"

"I was't finished, Goten. The story's just beginning. No, Celeste is not blind. You see, I couldn't forget about her. And eventually, it seemed I stumbled on a way to make it right. Vagane's not the only crazy scientist I've encountered during my life. Another one I encountered, a lunatic named Dr. Fredrick, had created this device that somehow allowed him to switch aspects with another person's body. In other words, he could change it so that if you had an injury, or a deformity, or problems like that, you could literally "switch" that with another person and obtain an uninjured or normal aspect of a human body. He was using it so he could make his body perfect. The only problem was that he was murdering people for their parts. I took care of him, and discovered something interesting. The switching would work on corpses too. So I snuck into the hospital with Fredrick's corpse…and I fixed Celeste. I switched her eyes and the damaged parts of her brain with Fredrick's dead but undamaged optic and cereberal tissue. He didn't need them any more. That's why Celeste has green eyes. Once they were brown, but since I fixed them…they are that brillant green. I think it suits her far more then Fredrick, but enough of him. With her brain fixed, I smashed the device and tossed it and disposed of it and Fredrick's corpse. Then I took Celeste with me. I knew that if a girl with destroyed eyes that everyone knew was most likely not going to wake up suddenly woke up with perfect 20/20 vision, people were going to be rather…unnerved."

Now Gohan resisted the sudden crazy urge to giggle. He didn't think Erik would appreciate it as he unburdened his painful memories.

"Once she woke up, I told her the truth, about everything. I thought she was going to hate me, and I thought that was what I deserved. Instead…while she was terribly sad over her mother…she wanted to stay with me. She wasn't ten years old, and she wanted to come with me, learn my "art". I refused. I had damaged her life enough. She begged and cried, acting like I was a parent who was going to leave, but I didn't relent. I left her at an orphanage, feeling terrible over what I had taken from her and so little I could give her back. I thought that maybe when she grew older she would repress the memories about me and forget about me, or start to hate me. That was my third, final, and gravest mistake. I never knew she would keep me in her heart. Now, I think I should have expected it. I had shown her love and kindness, and having never had that from anyone except her lost mother. I thought that by leaving I would stop the damage. Instead, it had just begun."

__

Dear kami, if what he says is true, that was the last time he saw Celeste until she came to him years later. What could have happened that would cause him such despair? Goten thought.

"In my own way, I went after revenge for Celeste even as I tried to forget her, as I started a one-man war on that part of the Mafia. But that is another story. In the orphanage, and eventually in foster homes, Celeste began growing up. She was just one kid among many, and no one had time to show her love and affection. But Celeste didn't feel she needed it. She thought I was out there, watching over her, like some kind of guardian. Some guardian I turned out to be. That belief…it began her hell. Her thoughts that eventually I would come back for her…that's where her love began to bloom. But at the same time, she got the idea that I had refused her because she wasn't ready, and she sworn that some day, she would be ready. So she began to prepare herself in various ways, studying certain things in school, and trying to do exercises, like something out of Batman. It must have seemed even sillier because Celeste was once a very frail, willowy girl with very little muscle tone. It was just the way her body had been genetically designed. But she tried to overcome those shortcomings. And on top of that, she gave no reason, She never spoke about me, maintaning the façade that she was just a normal girl with an odd quirk."

Erik sighed.

"The fact that she exercised so much caught the attention of boys, but most in a very bad way. You know how men are with certain things…they think that so-and-so is "theirs" and anyone who is not male is consisted a threat. Eventually, she attracted the attention of a football player named Seth Driggs. Seth came from a wealthy family, one who had spoiled him rotten and made sure nothing could be denied of him. Seth thought that because of this, nothing would happen if he showed Celeste "her place". So he and his group of buddies set out to make sure Celeste knew "her role" as a woman…bastard. He wouldn't have known what being a man was if it jumped up and bit him on the ass."

__

Just like the Sleaze. They must spawn on damp locker room floors. Goten thought.

"It would have been bad enough if Seth had been direct, but instead, he chose a far more insidious way to prove his point. He approached Celeste as a friend and asked for a date. Celeste was maybe about 14 at this time, and while she most likely still had feelings for me, puberty was most likely confusing those feelings. I suppose she figured that she would date other men until she felt she was "worthy" to be accepted by me. And if bad things happened, hell, she thought I was watching over her, right? I should have been. Instead, I believe I was somewhere in South America, in the midst of taking down a drug cartel."

"What happened?"

"Seth timed it perfectly. He dated Celeste long enough for her to get comfortable with him and his friends, and for Celeste to develop a tenuative trust. Then…one night…he invited her to a party at his place. He said there would be others, but the real plan was just for there to be him and his buddies. Once she was there…he drugged her drink…and then he raped her, and shared her with his friends. Like she was some kind of fucking object to play with. And Celeste couldn't do anything. She was too doped up to resist, but not enough so she couldn't tell what was going on, and to hear what Seth was telling her, that this was her place, a plaything of men and nothing more. Then they dumped her and probably went out celebrating. They'd just taught Celeste "her place", and with the money and power their families had, they were sure they were untouchable. And I'm sure they would have been. You throw money at just about anything, and eventually it will go away. Seth and his goons could have bought off anyone who tried to accuse them. After all, it was their word against hers, a poor orphan, right? But unfortunately, when Celeste recovered, she didn't go to the police. No. She decided she was going to do what I would do instead…if I'd only known I'd affected her that badly…"

"She killed him." Gohan said, and it wasn't a question.

"Nope. First she castrated him, then she killed him. She did me proud there." Erik said with a slight smirk. "Unfortunately, while trying to do what I would do, she was still not me. She got caught. What a spectacle that trial was, but at the time, I was cut off from Western civalization and didn't hear a word of it."

"What happened?"

"She got convicted. It wasn't hard. She couldn't afford any attorney on her own, and Seth's parents, who couldn't have seen what kind of prick their son was if it bit them on the ass, were hell-bent on making Celeste suffer for her "crime". They made sure she got the dumbest, greenest lawyer, and they greased the palms of anyone with influence. She got life in prison, and as a final blow, Seth's parents made sure she went to the hardest, nastiest prison there was, full of true monsters and predators. I'm sure they were content…sons of fucking bitches." Erik said, his hand slowly curling into a fist so tight his knuckles whitened.

"And in there…Celeste went through hell. Despite her efforts, she was still very weak and frail physically. It didn't take long before she became one of the "slaves" of the dominant head of the prison. The whole prison was corrupt anyway, right up the warden. And Celeste began a plaything and punching bag. Any resistance she tried got her horribly beaten, and even if she obeed they beat her anyway. They liked to do stuff like that, when they weren't doing things like raping her anally with a broomstick."

The last part of the sentence hung in the air like a curse. Goten swallowed, the words having suddenly caused his heart to plunge.

"Dear…god…"

"God wasn't there for her. No one was, as Celeste was beaten and raped until she was on the edge of oblivion. Two years of utter torment and suffering, and why? Because she was weak. Because she couldn'' fight back. Slowly, her face was disfigured beyond belief, and her body brew weaker and weaker. But Celeste, despite all the agony, held on by one thing. She held onto me, my image, the idea that some day I would save her. Despite all she suffered, she held onto me…and I was the one who had done this to her in the first place. If I hadn't entered her life…or not tried to act the hero, or just left her alone…it's my fault…all my fault…she never, never should have had to suffer like that and it's all my fault…" Erik trailed off, holding his head in his hands. Gohan wanted to speak up, but found he had no words. It was all becoming clear.

"Eventually though, Celeste became boring to all those who used her for their savage pleasures, and she was scheduled to be disposed of. Like some kind of damn…but before it could happen. Something else happened. The Change. And Xaxargas came to Celeste first, after one of her daily beatings, asking her what she wanted. Can you guess?"  
"Retribution."

"Indeed. She asked to be exactly like me, the one who she had held onto during all that time. To know all I knew, on combat, on killing, and on justice. Perhaps Xaxargas would not have granted it if she hadn't added one last thing. She asked that no one else in the prison, her hell, to get a wish. This struck Xaxargas as unique…and he granted it. When the smoke cleared, Celeste no longer had a ruined face or body. She had a strong powerful unscarred figure, a body that crackled with raw power and rage beyond belief. And when people came out to see what had happened, they found her. And she was angry. Beyond angry."

And then, suddenly, Erik smiled, as if he was recalling something that he actually liked.

"It was a slaughter. An utter massacre. The blood ran in rivers and the gore covered everything, as Celeste torn down and tore apart everyone who crossed her path. She left bodies piled everywhere, and their blood soaked her. And as she told me, she loved it. She knew it was right, that it was justice…that it was retribution. That was what she claimed, and that was the name she took. I think that Xaxargas had known this, and had perhaps planned for Celeste to possibly begun one of his Elite down the line. However, he made a mistake. Along with all the powers and abilities that he had given Celeste…my powers and abilities honed from years of training and experience…she had my ability to tell if a person was Pure or Corrupt. There were no Pure souls in that prison, and Celeste had known it. Her job done there, Celeste vanished into the shadows, shadows she now knew were part of her."

And with that, Erik slumped slightly. The emotion of telling Gohan and Goten had charged his body, but the high, for lack of a better word, was ending.

"The rest…is history. While Celeste knew she know knew all that I knew, she also knew that she wasn't experienced in the usage of her new abilities. Her carnage at the prison, which she burned to the ground, had been little more then raw emotion outpouring. She needed to temper and hone her abilities, and use them to develop her own style. And so she spent the next few years doing that, all while watching me as I and my allies eventually defeated Xaxargas. Once he was dead, she finished up her training, and then she came to me. The rest you know."

Erik sighed again.

"I learned all this from her, as she told me, mostly after suffering one of those nightmares. You saw what they do. I knew how much the past can hurt, so once I agreed to take Celeste on as a protogae and realized what she was, I began trying to help her get past it. Her sense of self-worth and confidence had been ground into dust, and slowly I began working on making her realize that she was better then all those who had hurt her. And in the process…we hunted down all those we could find who had hurt Celeste, and we destroyed them for their crimes. Donald, Seth's buddies and his parents, the few who managed to escape Celeste's slaughter…we tracked them all down. A few were given another chance, but the rest…we made them pay. In blood."

__

No surprise there. Gohan thought.

"But even so…it didn't seem to sate her anger. It's still so strong, so…violent. She keeps it well in check, but should it be unleashed…god help whoever is standing in her way. Her Ruined Soul daggers are forged and composed of that rage, that's why Krillian's ki blast didn't do anything. Those daggers aren't metal, they're fury given form."

"But how…?"

"It's a technique back in my world. Very very difficult. You have to focuss incredible amounts of emotion and infuse it into whatever you want to create. This emotion procedure can create simple things like small bladed weapons…or for more complex things, it can be infused into it to grant it special powers or complexities. Paul's gun is one of such weapons. It was given to him by his love, Laura, and thus her love is infused in it, which is why it never runs out of ammo. It's her love's way of protecting him. But as much as she loves Paul, it took hours of ardous effort to infuse that love into his weapon, and it utterly exhausted her. That was how long she had to focus enough love to be successful. Would you like to know hopw long it took Celeste to forge those daggers from her rage? Less then five minutes."

Gohan and Goten gaped at Erik.

"I see it in your eyes. I think you now have an idea of just how angry she is, deep down inside. But that is more or less under control…but also, she still has those terrible dreams, of the people who did all that to her…and you saw the ultimate result. Under that anger…lies pain and humilation…terrible pain. And it's allmy fault. It's not just because I have to protect her…I don't deserve her love. I made her endure…the most horrible things…all because of what I did, my mistakes. She should cut me down for the crimes I commited against her…not love me. I don't deserve it. I deserve to suffer."

Gohan and Goten were silent, finally understanding why Erik denied both his and Celeste's feelings. It was a terrible situation, made even worst by Erik's seemingly never ending guilt.

But Goten suddenly found himself speaking. Even after all Erik had said, one thing still hung on the forefront of his mind.

"Well Erik…that is a terrible story…I am shocked to my core. I understand how you feel…your feelings of unworthiness…but despite all that, that does not change one thing I saw."

Erik looked at Goten, looking genuningly confused.

"What?"

"SHE TRIED TO KISS YOU!" Goten yelled, slamming his hands down on the table. It creaked from the tremendous impact.

Erik's eyes widened slightly, and before he could say anything, Goten continued.

"You speak and go on and on on how much you made Celeste suffer, how you made mistakes and how much pain they caused her, how you "tainted her", and due to all this you don't deserve to be loved by her. But while you torment yourself over what happened to her, Celeste actually had it happen to her. And she tried to kiss you! Don't you see? If she ever harbored even the faintest trace of a grudge, she long ago forgave you. You keep talking aboyt how she should hate you. SHE DOESN'T! SHE LOVES YOU! She wants you to love her back! She doesn't want to kill you, or hurt you, or anything! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST GIVE HER WHAT SHE WANTS!?!?!?!"

Gohan was floored by his brother's outpouring of words. Either he was taking the whole act of playing matchmaker far too seriously, or there was something more to it.

"He's right Erik. This isn't what Celeste wants. She wants you. No matter what sins you supposedly commited…she wants you. I saw it in her eyes."

"Don't you remember what you said to me just before you left this world the first time, Erik? How life is random, and it is best not to wait because what you love can suddenly be taken from you? How together, one can endure anything? That is what made me propose to Marron, Erik. If you can bring others together…why do you insist on being alone, and hurting in the process."

"Because I have no future." Erik replied quietly. Once again, Goten was struck silent. _My god, I'm beginning to think he really was trying to commit suicide._

"Erik, that's…"  
"The truth. I told you that because I knew you had a future. You were raised with a family who loved you. You had magical artifacts that could revive the dead. You and your friends would face down any evil that threatened you with all the power you possessed. I knew you would have a future. I, on the other hand…all whom I touch are marked for death, or doomed to die. In my efforts to save people I seemed to hurt those who cared for me. Even if I survive this battle…what about my next one? Or my next one? And what about all those who are willing to hurt others to get to me? I can't subject Celeste to that. She deserves peace and love from a worthy man…not my blood soaked hands and damned soul."

Goten felt like tearing his hair out. What did he have to do, start banging Erik's head against a wall?

"Erik…"

"Don't try to convince me otherwise, and I would appreciate it if you didn't speak of this to anyone. You think I am worthy of her? I can't damn her with my love…nor do I deserve to have it. And I would know better then anyone."

Goten wanted to say and do a million things. He wanted to say that Erik clearly wasn't acting like himself. He wanted to tell Erik that things would be different after the mission ended. He wanted to slap Erik and practically order him to go to Celeste and admit his feelings, instead of keeping them locked away in his undeserved masochistic penance.

It is truly a sad thing when a man, denied of happiness and joy, must warp his own mind to take a twisted kind of happiness from his pain, rather then be denied of it totally. But once one had started doing that, one could very rarely go back. Twisting wires is easy, untwisting them can be nigh-impossible.

But Goten was going to try, even if he had to beat the idea into Erik's head.

But all he planned to say and do was interrupted when a sudden ringing emitted from Erik. He looked down as the small phone extended from his mechanical arm. Gohan and Goten watched as he answered it.

"Yes? Bulma? You did? I see…you're sure? Well, that's a stroke of luck, I hope. I'll be right there." Erik said, before he hung up.

"What was that?"

"Bulma wanted to get in touch with me. Spike and Adam kept talking about this thing…I asked Bulma to see if she could locate a world which had it mentioned. My information panned out. If we're lucky…we might just have one more chance to win. I have to go."

"Erik…"Goten began.

"Goten, and Gohan…I know what you're trying to do. You're trying to help me, and I'm grateful…but at the moment, the point is moot. I have but one goal in mind…whether I am to go forward or not. Perhaps…your interruption was the sign. You two stopping me may be the indication that I am to go on and face Vagane…for whatever happens."

Goten sighed and turned to leave. Gohan did likewise. It was clear he couldn't do anything more.

"But…I have to be sure."

Goten whirled as he heard the buzzing whirling noise again and saw Erik had picked the gun up from the table again, where it had been placed for the whole conversation. Now it was in Erik's hand again, and he was bringing it up.

"ERIK, NO!" Goten screamed, and leapt at Erik. He felt like he was moving through molasses, as Erik brought the hammer back.

"NO!"

Erik squeezed the trigger.

Goten waited for the bang.

CLICK.

Goten stopped in mid-leap. No bullet had emerged. The barrel had actually stopped on the empty chamber.

And while Goten and Gohan stood there, stunned, Erik brought the gun down and looked at it, a slighy chuckle coming from him and eventually evolving into another one of his bitter laughs.

"I guess that proves it. I'm bound by the chains of fate. There is no escape. So be it." Erik laughed, tossing the gun onto the table, turning, and walking out of the room. And just like that, he was gone.

Goten stared after him, trying to turn the events of the last 20 minutes over in his mind.

"Did we just serve any purpose, bro?"

"I like to think we did…but I think we need more. It's like trying to get someone off a drug they're incredibly addicted to…except loving Celeste would do Erik no harm…but he inists on not letting her know. What a paradox."

"It's not right…it's just not right." Goten said. _He brought Marron and I together…I should at least keep trying for them…as soon as I get Marron back…and avenge her pain._

"Maybe not…but it is how Erik is. What else can we do?"

"Well…as soon as this is over, and everyone's back, I'm going to lock those two in a room and not let them out until…" Goten trailed off into a sigh. His eyes floated over to the gun.

"That couldn't have happened."

"Hmmm, what?" Gohan said. Goten indicated the gun.

"The odds of it…this had to be some kind of a pschye-up ritual or something. He was just saying he had five bullets in there. It's probably empty, or with just one, at the most. Just trying to prove something to himself. He didn't really think that…"

As his brother was talking, Gohan walked over to the table where Erik had left the weapon. As Goten was finishing, Gohan picked the gun up and snapped the barrel open. Goten fell silent as Gohan did this, and stayed that way as Gohan turned the gun to the side.

__

Cling-cling-cling-cling-cling.

Goten's eyes widened in shock and horror as he stared at the five bullets that had fallen to the floor.

"Like Erik said…I guess he is bound by the chains of fate…I just hope to kami they won't hang him as well." Gohan said.

Erik knew not of Gohan and Goten's last words about him, but the chains of fate had yet to hang him, nor the black earth he crept inside of had yet to devour him, Neither worried him at the moment. It was just about time.

He had paused only a moment, and kept walking while he recalled everything. With his thoughts had ended his journey, or so Erik thought. He had to be sure.

The two figures drew next to him, and he stopped them with his arms. As well as they knew the dark, Erik was the only one who could actually see IN it, due to an infra-red setting in his cybernetic eye. Using that eye, he began to scan.

He was right. While the mining tunnel continued to lead into the earth and god knows where, he had reached his destination.

He tapped his two companions on the shoulder twice, and they turned with him to the right. Erik brought up his arm. He still wasn't 100 percent sure that Vagane didn't have SOMETHING that would detect him the instant he gave any other indication he was there. The cloaks and their bonds with the shadows had kept him and his companions from being detected so far (or so it seemed), but Erik didn't want to push his luck and add the large amount of noise that would be made when he blasted through the rock and metal to get to Vagane's base.

Erik brought up his arms, his fingers flexed in ready. Despite his thoughts and the need to make sure he wasn't seen or injured during the trip along with his allies, he'd kept a countdown going in his head. And it was on its final numbers.

__

5…4…3…2…

The fortress of Vagane was as menacing as ever, the various shattered fields of rock on its outskirts doing nothing to eliminate the air of death and menace. Once again, it was silent, as the sun vanished over the horizon, setting for the day.

The air was still.

But the "peace" was false, for at the outskirts lurked men and women who desired only chaos. An irony, since their hearts were not evil, but anger, rage, and the desire for revenge can often do a good impression of such a feeling.

They had been there for some time, those who needed to keep their power levels repressed doing so, and the others merely watching, many of them chomping at the bit to get started.

Inside their heads, the same countdown was going. And zero hour was here.

Erik smirked to himself in the darkness.

"Time's up Vagane."

The silence shattered into madness as several explosions suddenly rocked Vagane's base as the Legacy and Z Warriors emerged from their hiding points and cut loose. They had waited and observed to make sure Vagane had not seen them, until the time had come. Now they were going to chew bubble gum and kick ass, and they forgot the bubble gum.

The Z Warriors were initially on foot, not wanting to find themselves suddenly falling towards the ground if the shield immediately activated as a defense manover. However, the instant they realized that was not true, they took to the air, blasting at various parts of the fortress. It was like ants attacking a St. Benard, but the ants had some serious firepower.

The Legacy stayed on the ground, using high vantage points in order to aim at various parts of the fortress. The only exceptions were Lindsay and Echo, who had immediately transformed and were now strafing the fortress with the Z Fighters, firing incinery flame and boiling acid.

However, the fortress proved to be far from defenseless, as sections opened and weapons slid out. The Z Warriors and Legacy suddenly found themselves being countered by powerful laser beams and machine guns. The latter were no consequence to the Z Warriors, but they gave the Legacy problems as the various members dove for cover. Dodging the blasts, the Z Warriors helped out by blasting every single defensive weapon they could see, and the Legacy helped out by aiming at the weapons that were aimed at the Z Warriors.

Carnage and destruction reigned, and it appeared that the heroes were fully in control of the flames of war.

They had no idea that the flames were being fanned for them.

Vagane watched the destruction on his large monitor. Despite the damage being done to his fortress, he had a cruel smirk on his face.

"So…the flies have come back to the web…go, my spiders…" Vagane said, both as a command and as a whisper to himself, as his eyes stole over to two other camera that showed twin tubes of metal and glass as they crackled with energy.

"My children need nourishment…and so they shall feast…"

A section of the metal wall suddenly bulged and then exploded outward in a spray of shrapnal that blasted across the room, embetting in the other walls. They quiet room was suddenly filled with mettalic noises and shrieks as burnt slags of wall, broken rods of rebar, and a good deal many other material came to rest across the room.

Smoke billowed from the hole.

And then Erik emerged, throwing back the hood of his cloak as his eyes darted around, looking for Valkyries, robots, or defenses of any kind.

He was surpised when he found nothing, but he didn't let his guard down, as his two friends emerged from the hole. Erik turned to them.

"Ok, it might LOOK like we're in the clear, but I severely doubt it. Let's go." Erik said as he pulled the cloak back over his head and crept forward, using the smoke as cover. But eventually it cleared, and Erik removed his hood again.

He almost whistled. The room was huge, at least 500 feet across. But the size was needed, as the lone object that was in the room needed the space.

It was an ugly machine, but Vagane didn't care for looks as long as the machine did its job. It was a twisted creation, with extensions and sparking devices that almost made the shielding device look alive. It was a hideous mechanism.

That didn't matter. Soon it would be a hideous ton of scrap metal.

"Bingo." Erik said.

And then the lights went out.

Chastity leapt off the rock face and did multiple sommersaults on her way down to the ground. She landed perfectly, rising with a grimace on her face.

"Ugh. I've got to stop wearing thongs." Chastity muttered, holding up her hand. A Heavenly Dynamite flame bomb materilized in between her hands and she hurled it at the nearest section of base. It struck and exploded, frying a hole in the wall and whatever was behind it.

Then a blast came down and destroyed the whole section. Chastity glanced up at Trunks, who was moving on to the next section.

"Showoff!" Chastity yelled, shaking her fist at Trunks.

Then a laser cannon popped up next to her.

The next second it was slag.

Goten blew another section to hell and gone, but Vagane's lab was gigantic and all they were ultimately doing were putting a few dents in its main structure. Goten resisted the urge to just wind up and deliver a blast that would blow the whole base to oblivion, but he couldn't. Marron was in there.

Ash was making his way up a rock extension to look down on the battle. There was a slight woosh, and Gohan landed beside him.

"How we doing?"

"Good. It looks like maybe Erik destroyed that device after all."

**__**

Cue the diaster…

"Wrong-o."

And then Gohan felt the terrible wrenching feeling rip through him again, and he fell to his knees with a gasp.

"Gohan!" Ash said, kneeling beside him and looking up in shock as the Z Warriors suddenly began falling from the sky, their powers of flight stolen from then again. This time through, they were expecting it, and most landed well. Buu landed the worst, but he was so obese he barely noticed, getting up and smiling at a worried Mr. Satan.

That smile vanished as the voice floated across the air, a mere evil chuckle seemingly as loud as a scream.

"You naughty children." Goku snickered as he floated up from an opening in Vagane's base. Gohan and Goten, although they were apart, shared a gasp. Their father was no longer wearing the orange ki that he never seemed to take off. Now it was night-black, along with his boots and gloves. His eyes almost seemed to glow red as he floated up, arms crossed arrogantly.

"You thought you took us by surprise? Don't make me laugh! Vagane is not a fool! He knew you would be coming, and indeed, you were so pretidable he was able to calculate your moves almost down to the second. Pathetic. Utterly wretched, but what was I to expect from you leechs?"

Ash clenched his teeth, and he and all his teammates shared looks across the battlefield. Erik had been delayed…maybe even…

No, he wouldn't let himself think that way. Erik would come through. Until he…he would have to try and hold the fort.

"GUYS! PLAN B!" Ash screamed. Goku smirked at the yell. To him, it reeked of fear and desperation.

"Plan B? Well, if you're gonna go to Plan B, I'm gonna go to Plan K!" Goku laughed, and then raised his arm.

"K for Kaboom."

The several ki blasts fired in a wide-arcing pattern and the warriors dove for cover as explosions rocked the battlefield. Tien threw himself in front of Chaozu to protect him and found up hurting him anyway as the shockwave smashed him backwards into the mime-like man and sent them both hurling into a rock face, where they slumped, unconscious.

History was repeating itself. And this time, it was playing for keeps.

Erik and his friends were too experienced to be taken by surprise when the lights went out, as they all immediately went into combat positions, their eyes darting around, trying to see through the inky murk. Erik immediately switched to his infra-red.

To his surprise, there were no heat signals coming towards him. Erik switched to motion detectors and again found nothing. 

"Need a light, mates?"

And then the room suddenly lit up again, a slow paneling effect that swept past the three and headed towards Vagane's machine.

And as the lights went back on, the ki-blocker suddenly lit up as well as it activated. A terrible grating rumble started coming from the machine, like a monster trying to growl with a mouth full of screws, even as the light continued upward and left the room fully illuminated.

"Enlightening." Spike quipped from where he stood on the machine, leaning on one knee and on his new sword, looking down on the three cloaked people in front of him. "But enough with the bad puns. Welcome to my parlor."

"If this is your parlor, you need a new decorator." Celeste said as she threw back her hood and discarded her cloak, her daggers whipping into her hands. Erik whipped off his own cloak. Spike smirked.

"Oh, we go with the dramatics. Your Tonies are in the mail. So the bitch is back, and she brought her man. How fun." Spike said, as his eyes slid past them and onto the third cloaked figure. "Oh, you brought someone else for me to kill! How nice!"

The conly remaining cloaked figure was still.

" Oh, keeping quiet are we? Well, I do love surprises! Who is it? The thief? Your slut friend? Your baby sister?" Spike chuckled, bringing his new blade up. It was clear that Vagane had improved on the earlier design, as the blade seemed even longer and more barbed. It seemed to scream for there to be bloodshed.

Erik looked back at the third figure, who had not moved. Then he smirked.

"Oh, it's a new friend of mine, Spike. I think you know her well."

And as Erik spoke, the third person lifted up her hands and threw the cloak back.

Spike's look was priceless, as his jaw dropped so far it almost hit the ground. Then his features contorted into his feral vampiric look as he snarled with pure rage and hatred.

__

"SLAYER!" he hissed, looking at the pretty face in front of him framed by golden blonde hair.

"Said the Vampire to the Slayer." Buffy Summers replied. "Um, something something something, I'm gonna kick your ass."

Erik glanced sideways at Buffy, giving her a wry look for her mutilation of the poem "The Spider and the Fly", which Spike had initially quoted. Buffy shrugged.

"Hey, what do you want? I flunked English."

Spike snarled again and leapt off the machine, falling the thirty or so feet and landing perfectly.

"How the _HELL DID YOU GET HERE!?!??!?!?"_ Spike roared. Buffy smirked.

"Why Spike, I thought you loved surprises." Buffy retorted. Spike looked like he was going to explode, or have a heart attack, which was impossible because he didn't have a beating heart. Instead, he simply muttered a long phrase of syllables to himself that sounded like "Bloody hell", curses in another language, and gratuidous use of the word "fuck".

"How the hell did you get here?" Spike finally managed to spit out again.

"You brought her here, Spike." Erik replied. Spike's eyes widened.

"WHY?" he screamed. "IS THERE SOME BLOODY COSMIC LAW THAT SAYS THAT EVERYWHERE I GO, SHE HAS TO HOUND ME? EVEN WHEN I CROSS DIMENSIONAL BARRIERS!?!?!? WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY!??!?!?!" Spike wailed. He looked to cut loose any second and start banging his head on the machine. "HOW!?!?!?!?"

"Well Spike, you see, when you fought Celeste, you mentioned someone called "The Slayer" a few times. Adam did the same to Celeste and me. So, I figured that this "Slayer" might have been one of your enemies, and hence possibly a strong ally for us, seeing how people like you always put down those who oppose you as weak, even though you lose every time."

"I DID NOT LOSE EVERY TIME!"

"Uh, yeah you did Spike. I was kinda there." Buffy said. Spike slapped his face into his palm and muttered into it.

"However Spike, while we knew about this so-called Slayer, we had no idea where it was, seeing how we had no idea which world you came from. All we could do was play a multiverse game of pull a number from the hat and see if that place had anything called a Slayer. I thought for sure we'd never find anything though…" Erik said, chuckling, looking over at Buffy. "We hit pay dirt on our fifth try. I still can't believe we were that lucky."

Spike continued to growl, but he appeared to be calming down.

"So lemme get this straight. In twelve hours, you were able to find where Betty over there was, AND convince her to come along with you?"

"No, actually, it took a few days. Apparently times flows differently in different dimensions, or realms, I don't really know the specifics, I flunked science too. But when I finally decided to trust Chris, we arrived in here a minute after Chris had left. And it's BUFFY, Spike."

"Whatever. This proves it. Life hates me." Spike moaned.

"Life hates YOU? I thought I had finally gotten a break! You and Adam just up and vanished! Finally, my main headaches were gone! I could actually do something beside slay vampires, like shop, and be with friends, and shop some more, and study…nah, forget that one. But no! I'm just getting warmed up when this girl comes up to me and says "Hey your missing villians are causing trouble in our universe, and they're sided with a guy whose gonna become a god among gods and wipe out everything in existence so he can create his own perfect life, will you give us a hand?" Do you have any idea how to say no to something like that? Do you have any idea how ANNOYING it is to NOT be able to say no to something like that?" Buffy mock-complained, although Erik sensed a hint of truth in it. However, Buffy's sense of duty when it came to evil far outweighed his selfish desires, which is why Erik already liked her so much.

"OH SHUT UP! I've got the market cornered on bitching here!" Spike shot back. "This ruins everything! I had it all planned! I was gonna get all those new fancy powers Vagane promised me and then I was gonna home, use those powers to kill you, ressurrect you so I could do it again a different way, repeat that about a thousand times, go get drunk, then come back and do it another thousand times! ARGH!" Spike cursed.

"Yeah, well life's a bitch." Celeste said.

"And then you die." Buffy added.

Erik just smirked.

"You fool. You think Vagane was going to carry through on his promises to you? Adam maybe, but not you. You're just easily manipulated muscle. He sent you down here because he expects you to die."

Spike smirked.

"Oh really. Then Vagane must be an idiot. I always thought he had too many wires crossed to really be a genius, what with his constant ramblings and all. Screw his powers. I don't need them. He's already given me everything I need right _here._"

And with that Spike reached up and yanked off his leather jacket, tossing it aside to reveal his clothing underneath it.

It was certainly a new look for him.

The jeans and dark shirt was gone, replaced with a seamless full-black body outfit that covered virtually every part of Spike, not including his head. It almost looked shiny in places, as light reflected off it and his sword as he raised it. Almost as on cue, electrricty suddenly crackled on the ki-blocking machine that loomed behind Spike, giving him the appearance of great power.

"Check it out, Betty. Do you know what this is? This is a…well I forget the name Vagane gave it, it had way too many big words for my taste. Let's just call it my Butt-Kicking suit. Vagane took the gloves I used on Won't Die over there, and expanded them to cover my whole body. Increased strength and jumping ability was good, but this little beauty not only does that, it also triples my speed, reaction time and endurance. And it's all I need to beat you."

"All that? Gee Spike, maybe you should have invested in a suit that increased your intelligence!" Buffy replied. Spike's good mood expression vanished in another snarl of rage, and he brought his sword down.

"Oh yes! I forgot one last thing this suit has!" Spike yelled as he brought up his hand and pointed as the three. "LASER FINGERS!"

Erik's eyes widened as the tip of Spike's finger glowed.

"MOVE!" he yelled as a concentrated beam of burning light blasted from Spike's finger at the three. Celeste dove to one side and Erik and Buffy leapt to another as the beam raked past them and tore across the wall. The beam traced a glowing line across the metal and then the line exploded, blasting small shards of metal sharpnal across the room. Spike stared at the wall, amazed that the lasers had done that.

"Hey, he didn't tell me it did that! Cool!" Spike said, and turned to Buffy, who was struggling to get out of the cloak. Spike aimed and fired again, and Buffy leapt aside again, tossing the cloak off of her at the same time. The beam caught the cloak and it burst into flame as Buffy rolled and leapt to her feet. She was wearing black pants of some unknown fabric which appeared to be quite flexable, and a blue shirt.

No sooner had Buffy regained her feet when she found Spike pointing at her again.

"Pity. I didn't think it would be this quick." Spike said, and fired again.

And then Buffy leapt forward.

Spike's jaw nearly hit the ground again as Buffy jumped at him. He knew she had strong legs, but she was at least forty feet away from him. The fact that she had just leapt the whole distance towards him while going nearly ten feet off the ground when she went towards him shocked the hell ever out of him. It was like she was on the moon. As Buffy twisted and spun over his back as she headed back to earth, Spike twisted his head to follow her as he managed to get out three words.

"WHAT-THE-FUCK?"

And then Buffy's leg snapped out and Spike found himself airborne as Buffy used her momentum to deliver a cracking mid-air roundhouse kick right across Spike's face. Spike flew across the room and slammed into the wall so hard he nearly left a dent, and even with his cyber-cloth armour it still shook him. He slid to the ground, nearly falling to his knees as he resisted the urge to grab his back. Buffy had landed on her feet, looking very pleased with herself. Erik and Celeste looked at Buffy and then back at Spike.

"Ok. I have lots of really bad memories about Betty here, but I DON'T RECALL HER BEING ABLE TO DO THAT! WHO GAVE HER THE STEROIDS!?! AND THE PILLS OF CONCENTRATED GRASSHOPPER ESSENSE!?!" Spike half yelled and half babbled. Erik smirked.

"There's more differences between worlds then how time flows, Spike. There's differences in power too. Despite all the supernatural forces in your world, I found out that Buffy's world has very strict limits on how strong people can be. However…this world doesn't have those limits. The bar of how powerful a human can become here is set much much higher then in Buffy's world, and yours. In her world, Buffy is at the virtual peak of what she can do. Here…she's barely just begun."

Spike gaped at the trio. If what they were saying was true…

"It amazed me how much we were able to teach her in the short time we had before we left. I think that if we'd had another few hours to spare Buffy would have been able to adapt to this world enough to be flying around and throwing ki blasts. But I hardly think she's complaining. Unlike you, who was too stupid to realize that you could probably do what she was doing as well, instead of having Vagane play dressup with you." Celeste added.

Now Spike was REALLY pissed. The fact that the Slayer was here drove him crazy. The fact that she was being backed up by the Bitch Who Just Wouldn't Die and her boyfriend drove him even crazier. But the fact that on top of that, they had actually managed to teach her how to become even more powerful via this worlds's higher limits or whatever that shit was…that was too bloody much.

But Spike had a great way of therapy: blow stuff up. Starting with the three people in front of him.

Erik and Celeste dove out of the way as Spike blasted twin laser beams at them; apparently he had cannons on all his primary fingers. Buffy dove towards Spike in a tight roll, springing up in front of him. Spike's eyes widened and then Buffy smashed him across the face with a right hook.

Spike reeled before the blow. Buffy could hit hard enough before, he knew that far too well. But with the higher limits imposed, she could hit even harder, with the end result that Spike's jaw was nearly torn off. Buffy comboed it into a left hook and a right roundhouse kick, staggering Spike some more, but he managed to block her follow-up side kick and punch back, knocking Buffy backwards with a slight yell of pain. She might be able to hit harder, but so could he.

With a yell, Spike locked his grip on his sword and swung high and wide. It worked on Buffy about as well as it worked on Celeste, as Buffy ducked under the blow and and swung at the same time, slamming her right leg against Spike's ankles. Spike lost his balance and began to fall forward, and then Buffy snapped her left leg up, slamming her ankle into Spike's nose and sending him crashing backwards into the wall behind him. In a blur, Buffy spun up to her feet as a wooden stake materilized in her hand, and then she thrust it forward into Spike's chest.

The stake snapped off. Spike smirked at Buffy's look of surprise.

"Oh please Buff, give me SOME credit. When I had the suit made I was sure it was above all else, woodproof."

And with that Spike belted Buffy in the chest and Buffy found herself airborne. She spun in the air and landed, only to find Spike already in her face. She ducked under a punch and blocked a knee blow, even though it sent jagged lances of pain down her arms. She countered with an elbow to the stomach, dodged a punch, and smashed Spike with three of her own. Clearly annoyed, Spike slashed at her and then stabbed when he missed, and as Buffy moved to block he spun and kicked in the direction she moved in, sending her down with another slight yell. Spike spun the sword in his hand, throughly enjoying his new abilities.

"Where's your partners when you need them?" Spike mocked.

"PIERCING STRIKE!"

"RAVEN'S BEAK!"

"Oh bloody hell." Spike cursed as he saw the twin blasts head at him, and threw up his arms as they struck him. The wind blast tossed Buffy's hair as she got to her feet, smirking slightly. Once this was over, she had to learn how to do a few of those.

The smoke cleared to reveal a woozy Spike, reeling slightly as his outfit smoked.

"I liked it better when I didn't know where you were. Me and my big…"

Spike never got to finish as Buffy leapt forward with a cracking jab and comboed it into a leaping thrust kick, sending Spike flying across the room as his sword spiraled out of his hand. He slammed against the ki-blocking machine and bounced off of it via a self-imposed riccochet. He glowered at Buffy again, and brought up his fingers.

Then Erik slammed into him from behind, sending him stumbling forward. Celeste suddenly materilized from out of nowhere and snapped her foot up, sending Spike's snapping backwards. Spike snarled as the two drew in front of him, Celeste with her daggers and Erik with his clawed hand.

"Man, I bet you could drop a safe on your kids and they won't even get a scratch." Spike growled, as his sword suddenly slid into his hand and he attacked the two. He ducked under an Erik slash and blocked Celeste's daggers with his sword as he thrust his leg out and kicked Erik in the side, then spun and backhanded Celeste. Erik switched styles and snapped his claws back in as he engaged Spike in a martial arts duel. The two engaged in a series of blocks, dodges, and blows that would have wowed even the most seasoned veterans. 

Spike, surprisingly, got the better of Erik, catching his left arm with his sword and ripping open a jagged cut before he nailed Erik with a backwards heel kick. He heard a whirl and ducked as Celeste's dagger slashed over his head, embedding itself in the metal of the machine.

"Give it up, girl! I learned all your moves from last time!" Spike taunted.

Celeste said nothing. Instead, she feinted to the right, and when Spike fell for it, she snapped up her right left and slammed it with every ounce of strength she had square in his testicles.

"Apperently you didn't learn from that one." Celeste replied, and then Erik was by her side. Spike, his hands instinctively clutched in a certain spot, was left wide open for their combined punch, which they slammed squarely between his eyes.

Spike flew backwards, slamming into the machine again. Erik glanced at Buffy as she came to their side.

"Wood was a bust. He made that suit imperveous to it." Buffy said.

"So what else kills vampires?" Erik asked.

"Um, lessee…fire, decapitation, holy water, listening to Yoko Ono…no wait, that's who killed the Beatles…"

"Got any holy water?" Celeste asked. Buffy made a motion at her outfit that said "Does it LOOK like I'm carrying any holy water?"

"I don't suppose either of you happened to be annointed by the Church." Buffy asked. Now it was Erik and Celeste's turn to give the "Gee, you THINK?" look.

"Okey dokey, we're down to fire or decapitation." Buffy said.

"HA! Good luck!" Spike said, pointing at his neck. "I made sure this stuff covers my whole neck. Good luck getting metal through it!"

Indeed, the cyber-cloth armour Spike wore covered his whole neck.

"Great, he had to get the turtleneck design." Buffy pouted.

"I guess we're down to fire." Celeste said, glancing at Erik. Erik smirked and brought up his right arm, and there was a series of whirring noises as his arm reformed and refitted itself into a large barrel.

"Chemical, or au natural?" Erik asked.

"Let's go with the classics." Buffy said.

"Your wish is my command." Erik said.

"It's also my cue to RUN!" Spike yelled, as he realized Erik had a built in flamethrower. Glancing left, right, then up, he decided to head up and leapt backwards, pernching himself on the front of the ki blocker.

Only to find himself staring at Erik's barrel already pointed there.  
"Made ya move!" Erik quipped in an annoying little-kid voice, and fired a gigantic stream of flame at Spike.

"OH BLOODY HELL!" Spike screamed before he was engulfed, as Erik thouroughly hosed down the whole front of the machine with scorching fire. Smoke billowed everywhere, and Buffy and Celeste began to cough as Erik finally let up.

"Toasty." Erik quipped, as the flamethrower formed back into his mechanical arm.

Then laughter suddenly issued forth from the smoke, and as it cleared, all three of the people gaped as Spike was revealed, totally unharmed. The machine wasn't even scorched.

"Oh yes, I forgot to mention that this machine is shielded from you people! Only I can actually touch it, without serious pain anyway. So you can forget about throwing any of your special energy fireworks at it, because it won't do a damn thing!" Spike crowed, throughly enjoying his little one-upmanship on the three. In Erik's head, desperation began to set in. How could Vagane have set the machine up to be shielded unless they had known…?

He'd been a fool. He should have realized that the second he'd seen Spike in here. No, he should have realized it long ago. Vagane would never be taken by surpise by such a plan.

Erik wondered with horror was was going on top. If he couldn't even touch the machine…

__

No. I'll find a way. Hang on guys…I'll find a way around this!

What was going on up top was something Erik would have throughly enjoyed if the situation was reversed. However, the fact that it was Goku blasting away at his former friends and taking great delight in it was not joy, but utter terror.

Goku had struck a terrible blow early on, as he'd aimed right for Diana and Ash had used himself as a shield to protect his mother, hurting himself badly. With Ash down, the Legacy had been thrown into disarray and scattered by another spray of ki blasts. With them removed as a threat, Goku had concentrated on the Z Warriors, toying with them like a cat toys with a mouse.

"Oh come on guys! I just want to play!" Goku said as he fired ki blast after ki blast at the Z Warriors as they scrambled amongst the rocky outcropping. Twice, Vegeta had nearly gotten himself killed by cursing out "Kakarott" and giving away his position. He had only been saved the second time because William had attacked Goku from behind at the same time Goku had fired his blast and had thus missed. Annoyed, Goku had blitzed William with several punches and then hurled him across the rocky outcropping. He landed on and did not move, his armour shattered, scorched, and smoking.

"This is ridiculous! How are we supposed to fight him? He's shrugged off everything we've done with a smile!" Chastity said in disbelief as she watched Goku fire, almost lazily, into a fleeing group of Z Warriors. Yamcha went down, and Krillian quickly followed as he tried to protect his wife and got smashed because of it.

"This is just too easy!" Goku yelled, and turning around, he aimed at another group of the Z Warriors as they futively tried to find cover.

"AAYYYAAAHHHHHHH!" Buu screamed as he charged and rammed himself head first into Goku's back. Goku didn't even flinch, as he turned around with a cruel smirk. Buu gasped, but he didn't give up, firing off a storm of futile punches against Goku's face and chest.

That ended when Goku grabbed the being by the small extension on the top of his head and yanked him up.

"You have flexiable flesh, right?" Goku said, and as if he had immediately gotten impatient with Buu's answer, yanked the extension, pulling it long. Buu screamed as Goku did the same with his face, twisting it into a variety of interesting new shapes.

"HA! Picasso, eat your heart out!" Goku said as he continued his torment. Then he yelled as Buu sudenly reared back and spat right in his eyes.

"Ok, have it your way." Goku growled as he wiped the saliva away, and bringing back his leg, he slammed it as hard as he could into Buu's chest. Buu flew off into the sky with a cry of pain and fear, disappearing into the distance.

"BUU!" Mr. Satan cried as he watched his best friend get brutalized. Then fear exploded in his heart as Goku turned around in response to the cry.

"Oh, you wish to join him? Very well, just let me calculate the angle I need to BLOW YOU TO HELL AFTER HIM!" Goku yelled as he brought his hands to the side. Mr. Satan was rooted to the spot as Goku began charging up.

__

Videl I'm sorry I failed you…

Then Goku's concentration was broken as a large length of black stone was broken over his head. Goku slowly turned to look at Piccolo, who stood there, holding the stump in his hands and breathing heavily. Mr. Satan took his oppourtunity and ran, heading off in the direction Buu had gone.

"You." Goku said, and then smirked. "Oh poor Piccolo. Created to kill me and yet after all this time you still fail. And yet…this futile assault? What is the point?" Goku asked.

Piccolo's gazed never wavered, and he never let the fear show in his eyes.

"For life." He said. Goku smirked cruelly.

"For life? Very well. For life…at the cost of yours."

And then Goku raised his hand and fired the ki blast into Piccolo's chest at point black range. Piccolo felt himself flying backwards, felt his cloak shredding and his turban flying off his head as it burst into flame, felt the scream tear from his throat and the blood flow from his wound, and felt his body hit the rock behind him and slide to the ground as the darkness began to close in on him.

"At least…I die…fufilled…Goku…" Piccolo spat out as blood trickled from his mouth. "Will you…be able…to say the same?"

Goku's face contorted in rage, and he brought his hand up to blast Piccolo into oblivion.

Then a foot smashed into his face, and Goku's concentration was again broken as he turned to see Ubbu, standing in a battle stance. Piccolo smiled, and then went limp.

"Ah, my failure." Goku said. Ubuu was not rattled.

"Your failure, maybe, but not my sensei's. He taught me to never stand down and never give up, no matter who or what odds you face. And by that, I know you are not him. You will never be him. It only breaks my heart that your destruction will result in his as well. I pray he will forgive me in whatever heaven he has earned. HAVE AT YOU!" Ubuu screamed, and attacked.

Goku blurred to the side as Ubuu tried to punch him, reappearing near him with the same cruel grin on his face. Ubuu dashed and swung low, snapping his arm up in an uppercut. The blow went right through Goku as he blurred away, leaving an after image that held the same cruel grin until it vanished. Ubuu's eyes darted around as Goku blurred around him, not even bothering to attack.

Ubuu leapt at one of the images with a thrust kick, missing once again. Goku reappeared right next to Goku, forever smiling that cruel smile, and Ubuu leapt upward in a sommersault kick. Once again he missed, as Goku blurred around behind him. Spinning on his heel as he turned, Ubuu used every single drop of power he had as he brought up his fists and slammed them against Goku's chest. For once, he had not blurred away.

It didn't matter, as the blow didn't have any affect. Ubuu stood there, panting, not knowing what else to do.

Then Goku's hand snapped out and seized Ubuu by the throat, lifting him up before him as he laughed.

"MY destruction? You think you could destroy me, you little gnat? What did I ever see in you? Well, now I shall make you what I see in you now. NOTHING!"

And the ki exploded upward from above Ubuu, enveloping him and Goku's arm in burning energy. Ubuu screamed at the power lanced through him, burning him on the outside, inside, and everywhere else. 

And then with a quick jerk and heave, Goku reared back and tossed Ubuu's smoking body off into the disance. The body never moved as it flew off, descending to whatever fate it might have.

"I grow bored in smoking them out. Maybe there's another way…yes…this should be more amusing."

Goku flew up and blurred away, and the various Z Warriors and Legacy members who were still conscious looked around to try and figure out where he had gone.

Then there was a yell, and then Goku reappeared, floating in the sky above the scarred battlefield where he had staked his dominance.

In his right hand he held Trunks by the back of his neck, his fingers squeezing hard enough to keep his hold on the young hybrid, even as Trunks fought furiously to get free, although there was nowhere else to go but down, and yet not hard enough to cause the young man to pass out.

"BROTHER!" Bra cried, but that was all she got to do as Vegeta pounced on his daughter and yanked her down before Goku could pinpoint the sound.

"Be quiet Bra! If he sees us he'll kill us!"  
"But Trunks…!"  
"I know!" Vegeta hissed. Bra might have though him uncaring, but the fear Bra had for Trunks Vegeta had tenfold. But that wouldn't help him at all. He cursed his lack of options. Why was fate being so cruel?

"I'm tired of going around chasing you people! So either you come out right now or…need I say more?" Goku smirked, indicating the squirming Trunks.

No one emerged, not even Vegeta, although it tore his heart to shreds to do so. Goku made a noise of slight surprise. The nature of the hero was to listen when the "bad guy" like him had this kind of advantage, but apparently everyone left had enough coldness in their hearts not to listen.

He'd fix that.

"No one? Huh. That doesn't make me happy."

And then Goku reached over and grabbed Trunks's right arm, and then he broke it as violently as he could. Trunks screamed to the heavens. Vegeta felt his heart being torn into ribbons.

"Same thing!…..No? Fine by me!" Goku said, and then broke Trunks's left arm. Trunks screamed and started to cry as the bone tore through the skin. Vegeta wanted to inflict fates beyond human comprehension on Goku by this point, but somehow, he found the strength to stay down and out of sight.

"You know, there are over 200 bones in the human body and I know how to break all of them so I can be up here a long time!" Goku yelled, as Trunks cried in his arms. "No one?"

Goku kicked Trunks in his left leg, snapping the bone in two places. Trunks screamed again.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are!" Goku catcalled, and kicked Trunks in his right leg. More snapping and more screams.

"You know, I'm beginning to think your friends and family have either suddenly gone deaf, or stupid. Well, I've broken the four major bones, let's get to work on something harder. I know! How about your pelvis…" Goku snickered as he balled his fist up.

"STOP IT!"

Goku craned his head, expecting to see Vegeta. He was a bit surprised when he saw Ash instead. He'd thought he'd blown him to hell.

Apparently, he hadn't tried hard enough. Couldn't his mother heal people? His wife too? That might explain why he was know standing and looking fresh.

Well, he would fix that. If he wanted to offer himself as a sacrificial lamb instead of Vegeta, more power (and pain) to him. It annoyed him that they were making him kill them in the wrong order, but it all ended up the same anyway.

Goku opened his hand, letting Trunks drop the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. Vegeta dashed from the shadows and caught his badly injured son as Goku and Ash stared each other down. Goku licked his lips. He would enjoy this.

Spike was enjoying himself too.

He'd finally gotten the upper hand after Erik had failed to fry him, after he seperated them with another blast from his lasers and gone after Celeste. She's fought back fiercely, but Spike had learned her style and knew that she was prone to making a mistake. Once she had, he'd gone after her with a vengeance and then thrown her into Erik when he'd come to help. With them down, Spike was focussing on Buffy. Once he crippled her, he could finish off the other two, and then have some well-deserved fun with her.

Buffy dodged to the side as Spike stabbed his sword at her head and thrust a kick into his side. Spike felt it but didn't let up, counter with his own punch and kick that sent Buffy staggering backwards. Spike fired a shot at her but she leapt backwards a few dozen feet and Spike just fried a molten crator in the floor. Spike looked up where Buffy was standing, the gigantic ki machine looming behind her. Vagane hadn't set the shield to block her, but there was nothing she could do to shut it off.

Spike smirked and aimed four of his fingers at Buffy.

And then Erik rammed into him from behind, sending his shots wide as Buffy dove out of the way. The four blasts struck the front of the machine and exploded, blowing metal parts everywhere.

Spike didn't have time to realize he'd just blasted the machine himself, because Erik spun him around and belted him with his metal arm, causing stars to explode in Spike's vision. Erik then knee him in the gut, smashed a right hook across his face, and then a leaping hook kick. Spike staggered, and Erik grabbed his sword arm and tried to get the blade out of Spike's hand.

Spike snarled and slammed his fist into Erik's exposed side, driving the wind out of him, and then grabbed Erik by the neck and hurled him backwards twenty feet. Erik landed badly and bounced another dozen feet along the metal floor. Spike aimed his lasers at him.

"HEY!"

Spike turned his head to Celeste's voice as she raised her fist above her head.

"WORLD….BREAKING!" Celeste yelled, as black energy beams poured from within her fingers, and then she slammed her fist into the ground. Spike gaped as energy suddenly exploded along the ground towards him, a large crackling black ball of power tearing up from the floor and blazing at him.

Spike leapt upward and threw up his arms as the ball reached where he had been and exploded, blasting Spike with blistering heat and force even though he had avoided a direct impact. 

As Spike flew backwards, though, his pain was just beginning, as Erik turned and leapt up against the nearest wall, and then riccochet up and off that wall towards the ceiling. As Spike the apex of his trip through the air, Erik shoved himself off the ceiling at an angle and shot at Spike, cracking him across the face with a downward arching dash punch. Spike was send shooting downward, and then Buffy leapt up into the air and kicked his falling body in the back, sending him crashing face first into the same wall Erik had bounced off of.

Spike hit the ground as the three gathered in front of him.

"Wanna do a simultaneous pose?" Celeste joked.

"What? No, Celeste, do you have any idea how corny that would be?" Erik replied.

Spike's scream interrupted the trio as he stood up, blood leaking from his mouth and from a cut on his forehead. He looked mad enough to explode.

"DAMN YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JUST DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

And then Spike dropped his sword as he aimed all his lasers at the group, and again they had to scatter as Spike went utterly crazy with his beams, shooting them all over the room and everywhere as he tried to hit the three.

He had more luck with his random patterning then with any of his aimed shots, as Celeste cried out as a beam burned her right leg. She fell to the ground clutching the wound, and Spike aimed all his beams at her as she tried to get up.

"Block this." Spike hissed, and fired eight simultaneous beams at Celeste as she tried to get up. Her eyes widened.

Then Erik threw himself in front of her, his arms crossed as he tried to get his shield out.

Too late.

The beams were devastating, blowing Erik backward and across the whole room. His left arm badly burned, he crumbled to the ground, trying to recover.

"Heh! Not a bad secondary prize!" Spike said, and aimed at Celeste again.

Buffy's fist broke several of his teeth as she attacked him from the side. Spike screamed, and then Buffy leapt up and off the wall, kicking Spike across the side of his face. Spike snarled and went into a fury of slashes that Buffy dodged until her back was against the wall. She ducked under the final stab as the sword buried itself in the wall, and then thrust her leg into Spike's gut. Spike stumbled backwards and backflipped a few times to regain his bearings, and the blocked Buffy's kick and follow up punches. Grabbing one arm, he twisted it and pinned her hand, and then did the same with her other arm when she tried to punch with it. Both arms locked in his grip, he began to headbutt her repeatly.

"How do you like this, Slayer? Huh? HUH?" Spike yelled as he slammed the crown of his skull against Buffy's face again.

Buffy's counter shocked the hell out of him, for as he drew back his head to deliver another blow, she suddenly thrust forward with her own headbutt, breaking his nose as he lost his grip.

Snarling, Spike swung at Buffy, and she dodged to the side and nailed with a left jab. She followed it with a right hook, a thrust kick, and a cartwheel kick, knocking Spike down onto the ground. She tried to slam her heel into his back, but Spike shoved himself up and away, flipping back to his feet.

Buffy got right back in his face, knowing he couldn't zap her with his lasers if she was there. She jabbed at his stomach, but Spike blocked it. She followed it up with a cross to the chest, but Spike blocked that as well. Buffy whirled and Spike ducked under her roundhouse and follow up backwards heel kick, before rearing back his fist and punching her in the solar plexus.

Buffy gasped as her air was driven out of her, and Spike smashed her across the face, then swung his hand back and backhanded her. Buffy drove her elbow into his face in retaliation, and Spike yelled as she hit his already broken nose. Buffy went for a heart punch, but Spike grabbed her arm and locked it in between his two arms. With Buffy's side wide open, he drove his knee into her stomach as hard as he could, and then with a yell, grabbed her and hurled her across the room.

Buffy spun from the throw and hit the wall back first while upside down with a thunderous impact. She crumpled down to the ground, nearly landing on her head in the process, and didn't move. Spike smiled through a mouth full of blood.

"Who's da man?" Spike quipped.

Then he screamed as the dagger slammed into his shoulder, piercing right through the cyber-cloth. The scream was more anger then pain though, as he turned to Celeste, who was standing on one leg, the right one still having trouble supporting her weight.

"Not you." Celeste said.

"YOU BITCH!" Spike screamed as he yanked the dagger out. He thrust out his hand and the sword yanked out of the wall and flew into his hand. "I'M REALLY GONNA ENJOY THIS!"

And then Spike charged at Celeste, who set her stance and waited to block his sword as Spike swung it up.

And then Spike was gone, as he suddenly leapt upward and over Celeste at an angle. Hitting the wall, he bounced off of it and threw himself up into the air and over Celeste as she snapped her head to try and find him. Now above Celeste, Spike gripped the sword with both hands and plunged down at her.

"DODGE IT THIS TIME BITCH!"

"Celeste!" Erik yelled as Spike bore down at her from above. With her injured leg, Celeste would never be able to dodge in time.

"Celeste!" Buffy yelled at the same time.

"DIE!!!!!!!!!!" Spike screamed.

And as the sword loomed at her, Celeste suddenly raised her hands.

"SUPREME RISING RAGE **FLASH!**" 

And then Celeste slammed her hands down and four black bolts of lighting exploded up and around her, twisting upward over her in a spiral pattern.

"WHAT?" Spike yelled as he saw the blast zap upward from around Celeste.

And then it struck him, and Spike was blasted across the room in a black crackling blur, slamming into the ground and bouncing off of it as the energy continued to course through him, making his body jerk and twitch as he tried to get up.

"Bloody motherfucking…" Spike cursed, as he tried to get his suit back to normal. But it refused to obey, and he fought to gain control over it again. Erik blinked.

"Electricity…it damaged the suit…" Erik said, looking around the room.

His eyes fell on the damaged section of the ki-blocking machine. Spike's blasts had lacked the power to destroy the machine or seriously damage it, but he had managed to tear off a section of the armoured front to expose the outside of the innards, so to speak. Inside the hole, one could see various strange mechanisms sparking and moving as they continued to power the machine.

One could also see many electrical wires, some severed and some still intact, sending off flashes of light and crackling energy.

Erik looked at Buffy, who was looking at him. In a glance they exchanged information. She knew as well.

That was all they got to do, as Spike had finally managed to get the scrambled signals of his suit flowing again, and had decided to vent by once again trying to blow stuff up.

Erik ducked as the lasers seared over him, blasting the wall. He heard a groaning noise and looked up just as a badly damaged section of the wall, weakened by the laser blasts and the force of the battle, finally gave up the ghost and fell apart.

"SHIT!" Erik cursed, and then he was buried in debris.

Buffy watched in horror, and then she heard a cry of despair and fear issue from Celeste as she saw it too.

It had the desired effect. Celeste dropped her guard.

Spike raised his sword and tossed it up into the air, and suddenly the hilt seemed to come apart, as pieces of metal broke off and flew at Celeste. Celeste gasped in surprise and then was thrown backwards as the metal pieces slammed against her wrist and carried her backwards right into the wall.

As Spike caught his sword by the now smaller hilt, Celeste hit the wall and felt the metal pieces clamp over her wrists and shackle them against the wall. So the pieces were manacles.

Celeste struggled to get free and cried out as the metal cut into her wrists, the edges razor sharp. Blood began to flow down her arms as Spike approached. She tried to kick him, but the metal only bit deeper into her wrists when she attempted to move. As more blood flowed down her arm, Spike smiled as his features finally became human again.

"Now, if I remember correctly…I owe you a painful and very bloody death."

Celeste's eyes widened as Spike brought up his sword, and she began to struggle furiously. But all she managed to do was cut her wrists open more. Spike licked his lip at the blood now flowing down Celeste's arms and advanced, a cruel smirk on his face.

Goku also wore a cruel smirk as he looked down at Ash. He couldn't believe the boy wanted to go another round after what had happened to him last time. Didn't he understand just how much stronger he was?

"So, you finally listened. You must have a death wish, boy. The follies of being a hero. I am so glad I no longer have to follow that code of ethics."

**__**

You probably couldn't have read them anyway, you dunce.

Goku smirked again at the Soulfire's comments.

"You claim to be a hero is folly? Well Goku, you will find that in the end, no matter how long it takes…we are the winners." Ash said

Goku laughed.

"Oh PLEASE! Don't tell me you believe in that whole "good always wins over evil" fairytale crap!" Goku howled, before looking down at Ash, the same smirk plastered on his face. "But if that's true, well by gosh, you must surely be able to defeat me! Go ahead, boy! I'll give you another freebie! HIT ME!"

Ash gritted his teeth, then raise the Soulfire.

"ECLIPSE…" Ash said as he slowly spun his sword around him in a wide circle. "…EYE!"

If one had watched closely, one could have sworn that you almost saw the faint image of an eye opening around Ash before he thrust his sword down and held it before him, and blue energy exploded into being and lanced at Goku, a blast the size of a motorcycle.

Goku didn't move as the blast hit him and exploded, blasting a huge smoke cloud in the sky. Panting from the effort, Ash looked at smoke, hoping against hope.

The smoke cleared to reveal Goku, unaffected and still wearing that godforsaken smirk.

"Please. You call that an attack?" Goku mocked.

And then suddenly, Ash smirked.

"No. I call it a distraction."

Goku's eyes widened slightly. What…?  
"ANGIE!" Ash screamed, and down below, out of sight, Angelina completed the last few motions of her spell, the spell she had been charging up for.

"By the power of the Acamy Temple…maybe your black soul be entombed within an ever growing glacier!"

And then Angie thrust her hands up and screamed, and above him, Goku suddenly felt the temperature drop dramatically. He barely had time to register it as frost suddenly sprouted on his hands, arms, legs, and chest, and then suddenly ice began freezing all over him. He roared and charged up his aura, and the ice began to melt. Sweat broke out on Angie's brow as she continued to cast the spell, but Goku was melting the ice faster then she could freeze it.

Then the air was filled with the swooping of wings as Victoria and Lindsay flew up and next to Goku. Goku looked back and forth at the two dragons even as he continued to mlt off the ice. _What the blazes…?_

And then Victoria and Lindsay opened their mouths and twin beams of incredible cold flew from their mouths and struck Goku. Goku yelled as ice formed over his whole body. He melted and broke it off, but it returned tenfold, and Goku found himself being imprisoned in a block of ice that kept growing larger and larger.

Vegeta and the other Z Fighters stared at the display. Erik had spoken of this plan, but none had actually expected it to work. Goku seemed far too powerful to be trapped. But it was working…for now. Goku may have been trapped, but he was far too strong to be trapped for long. Sooner or later, he'd break out.

Erik had not yet turned off the machine, and they desperately needed to buy time until he could. If he didn't…

Angie could feel the pain start to burn it her. Goku was fighting furiously, and it was taking all her effort to not pass out. On a ledge, Paul wondered if he could help. His gun could fire liquid nitrogen, but he had to be close to do it. At this distance, the gas would dissipate long before it reached the ever-larger ice ball in the sky.

Victoria peered down the length of his ice breath blast. She could no longer see Goku, but she could feel him as he furiously fought to get out of the ice. She had to keep going, Goku had caused so much damage already. Of all the Z fighters, only Gohan, Pan, Goten, Vegeta, and Bra were still standing. The rest had been knocked out by Goku's area attacks…or worse. She couldn't stand by and see that any more.

Ash looked up as the ball continued to form. He had everything crossed that he could cross, and he was calling in every single favour he had. _Please…please…_

****

Oh dear god…

"What? Soulfire, what?" Ash said.

**__**

I can feel it…Goku's had it, he's gonna…!

And then a scream pierced the air, shaking all those who were still awake to the core. Angie suddenly felt a gigantic backlash of power flow down and through her. She screamed as her brain felt like it was lit on fire, and then she collasped.

And then the ball exploded, spraying hunks and shards of ice everywheer as Goku was revealed in SSJ mode. Ash's heart sank. _All our effort and he just powered up to his first stage…_

"I HAVE HAD ENOUGH! TAKE THIS!" Goku screamed as he aimed his hands at Lindsay and fired.

Lindsay took the blast directly in her flank, and she emitted a reptillian screech as she fell from the sky, her scales badly burned. Her natural armour had been tough enough to take the blast without it being fatal, but the wound was still crippling, as Lindsay collapsed on the ground, her body slowly shrinking back into human form with a terrible wound on her side.

"LIN!" Victoria cried as her best friend was so cruelly cut down. That was it. She was through pussyfooting around. Erik said they might have to use lethal force? SHE'D SHOW HIM LETHAL FORCE!

Goku turned around as Victoria inhaled, the cruel smirk already starting to form. What could this girl do…?

And then Victoria answered, as she thrust her head forward and a yellowish green gas spewed forth in great amounts. Goku's eyes widened as the gas enveloped him, and he began to cough and retch and his lungs began to burn.

"I don't care how powerful you are, let's see you try and breathe chlorine gas!" Victoria yelled as she continued to spew the lethal poison at Goku. For all his strength, Victoria was right. He needed oxygen, and even his superhuman body was affected by the gas that had once been used as a weapon in World War I.

Coughing, Goku tried to fly out of the cloud, but the gas distorted and confused hiss ense of vision and he could no longer tell which way was up.

Ash watched as his siter continued to expel the lethal gas at Goku. His mind raced. Would that be enough?

"PAUL!" Ash screamed at his best friend. Paul's head jerked at the yell. "FIRE INTO THE CLOUD! GOKU MAY BE TOO DISTRACTED TO BE ABLE TO BLOCK YOUR BULLETS!"

"Will do!" Paul said, hoisting his gun as the barrel reformed and reformatted itself. "I can't figure out where he is…but I always went with quantity over quality!"

Paul aimed high and fired, his barrel blazing as he fired a storm of bullets into the cloud of gas. Ash once again crossed his fingers.

"ARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

And then the hurricane force wind whipped up, nearly blowing Ash off his platform.

**__**

Look out! Goku's breaking out the wind! He's breaking wind, er, no, um, THIS IS BAD!

Victoria staggered to stay flying as her gas cloud blew away, the thin fumes no match for the powerful gusts. Goku was revealed looking a little worse for wear and ten times as pissed. He couldn't believe this girl had actually threatened his life, even for a second.

"ARRRRRRGGGHHHHHH!" Goku screamed again, and zapped at Victoria, plowing into her shoulder first. Victoria was knocked loopy by the blow, and then Goku laced his fists together and brought them down on her, sending her plummeting towards the ground.

Paul saw Victoria get knocked from the sky, and he ceased fire as he realized she was heading right at him.

"OH SHIT!"

Paul dove for cover as Vicoria came crashing down, the rock face crumbling under her massive bulk.

He almost made it, but the impact made Victoria's tail spasm uncontrollably, causing it to lash out and smashed Paul across the back, nearly breaking his spine. He flew through the air and crashed into a rock face, crumpling to the ground as his gun clattered off into the shadows.

Ash watched this in horror, then turned back to look at Goku, floating in the sky, arms crossed, as he waved one finger in a "ah ah" motion. Ash swallowed slowly.

**__**

Ash…

"Soulfire…if it comes down to it…I hope the next person who wields you was as honoured as I was."

And then Ash raised his hand, and suddenly his remaining teammates emerged from their hiding places, where they too had watched their hopes meet with failure. Christine came by Ash's side, and behind him his father, Rod, Brigh, and Chastity. In his heart, Ash was glad his mother had stayed hidden. At least maybe she might escape alive.

**__**

Um, I know this isn't what you wanted to hear…but isn't it a BAD things that we all group together like this?

"Maybe so, but only together, can we do this. Let's burn." Ash said, and thrust the Soulfire up.

"ALL TOGETHER! AURA BLAST!"

"SINGING SPARROW!"

"RAINS OF TIME!"

"SHADOWSLAYER!"

"PHOENIX TAIL!"

And as the five blasts shot from the weapons and hands of the remaining Legacy, Goku slowly raised one arm.

"Not worthy."

And then he fired, a huge black fireball of power that shot through the air. The five blasts of the Legacy met it and were shattered, the attacks snuffed out like candles as the fireball continued on it's way towards the group.

"SCATTER!" Ash screamed, and the members tried to run.

Too late.

The explosions bowled over the team as they tried to flee, the men and women tossed away like rag dolls from the force before coming to rest on the ground, burned, battered, and unconscious.

And as Ash felt the darkness closing in as he lay on the ground, he reached over and took his wife's hand. Their wedding bands glittered.

"Forever." Ash said, and then the darkness swallowed him, and the last hope was gone.

Goku threw back his head and roared laughter to the heavens. Down on the ground, Gohan watched, not knowing what to feel. The Legacy had been their last hope, but they may as well have never tried. Goku had crushed them like bugs with hardly any effort. Thy were simply out of their league.

"12 Legacy members lying on the ground, but one more blast, and then there were none!" Goku laughed, as he began to call apon his power. Now that he had all of them at his mercy, he was going to make sure they didn't slither away like insects again. This blast would leave nothing of the surrouding area but ash.

Goku thrust out his hand, reveling in the experience of finally riding the world of those vermin who were so pathetic and yet so annoying. He couldn't wait to see the look on Erik's face. He knew his master would be pleased.

Spike was definitely pleased as Celeste struggled to get away. All the blood coming from her wrists looked delicious, but he wasn't going to snack until she was dead and in pieces.

"Well mate, I would say you have failed to survive. You might of kept winning immunity challenges, but I'm afraid it's finally time for tribal counsel." Spike said, and raised his sword. First, he was going to cut off her nose.

"And you're being voted off the island."

The energy blast hit him in the back, and Spike screamed at the sudden pain. Left open, the blast had managed to fry right through his cyber-cloth and burn his back. He whirled, his features vamping out again.

Erik stood there, arm out, wreckage scattered around him from where he'd tossed it off, his features filled with anger and yet…saitisfaction.

Spike couldn't believe it.

"Why won't you people JUST DIE!?!?!?!??!"

"You first." Erik replied, and then pointed behind him.

And then Celeste yanked her hands from the manacles, ignoring the pain as the blades, slick with her blood and worked a bit loose by her struggles, still lacked enough give to give her a pain free escape. But she had escaped.

Spike felt Celeste's blood splash on his back and neck as she tore her hands free, and almost it slow motion, he slowly turned around as Celeste brought her fists up as black energy exploded to life on them.

"END OF HEAVEN!"

Spike's eyes widened.

"End of Heaven…?" he said in confusion. Those words, and one thought, was all he got.

__

This is gonna hurt…

And then Celeste blitzed into him as she went into a fury of energy charged punches. Spike was utterly blasted by the assault, which was so fierce it somehow pushed him backwards without knocking him down. All Spike feel was a barrange of constant crushing blows to his head, chest and stomach that torn through his whole body. His sword clattered from his fingers as he was pummeled, the sheer speed and power keeping him from locking, defending, or doing anything else.

And then Celeste stopped, jumped back a few feet, and lanced forward with the final punch, her whole arm engulfed in crackling black energy as she dealt Spike a blow of ten times the previous magnitude. Spike didn't get knocked over or knocked away. Instead, he simply slid backwards like the floor had suddenly become ice and his boots had become skates. Finally, he stopped, reeling from the impact and trying to figure out which of the three Celeste's in front of him was the real one.

"BUFFY, NOW!" Erik yelled.

And then Buffy, who had stood aside waiting for her moment to strike, pounced as she ran forward towards Spike. As she did, she cartwheeled and then went into a series of backflips towards the vampire as his vision finally cleared and he saw the Slayer trying to win the Olypics in the process of heading towards him.

And as Buffy reached Spike, she went into the final flip, spiralling up and over Spike. As she did, she grabbed his shoulder and then swung downward, planting her foot square in his back as a lever, and then using everything she had, she yanked backwards and flipped Spike up and over her into the air.

Spike slowly did a flip of his own as he flew through the air, and as he did, Erik drew by Celeste's side. She smiled at him and then both thrust up their hands at the airborne Spike.

"END OF EDEN!"

The twin black blasts blazed from Erik and Celeste's hands and lanced at Spike. His eyes widened.

Then the beam slammed into him and carried him backwards.

Right into the exposed part of the machine.

Buffy flipped up to her feet as Spike was thrust into the hole, slamming up against the equipment and electrical wires. Spike began to screams the millions of volts coursed through him, dancing out and wrecking the equipment as malfunctions built apon malfunctions and errors spread through the whole machine.

As the explosions began, Spike managed two words.

"BLOODY HELL!"

And then fire consumed him as the machine began to blow up, parts of it bulging outward before spraying out storms of flaming circuitry, melted metal slag, and a myriad of other junk as the machine tore itself apart.

Buffy snatched up Spike's sword. Now that he was dead, she might as well use it.

"Exit! Over there!" Erik yelled as shrapnal pelted them, and the three headed for the small door as explosions rocked the lab and consumed the room with fire, the flames licking at the heels of the Slayer, the Ruined One, and the Dark Angel as they headed off into whatever fate had in store for them.

Goku knew just what he had in store for the fallen Legacy members, and he knew it would drive Vegeta even more crazy then he already was. He was sure his brutalization of Trunks had set Vegeta's veins on fire. Goku only wished he could have broken some more.

"Hey Vegeta!" Goku said, as more and more power crackled around his hand. "I know you're watching! Just wanted you to know I was always better then you, in all regards! And here's the final example!"

Goku smiled triumphantly, and aimed at Ash, who had somehow managed to land so he was in the center of the pattern of his scattered teammates. Perfect.

"BIG BANG ATTACK!"

Vegeta's eyes widened as the energy exploded outward and a ball of pure destructive ki energy fired from Goku's hand at Ash. Well, it appeared to be over. 

And what a cruel end. Not only had fate taken away his power, not only had it brutalized his son, but it was going to give him his death via one of his own attacks. With the power Goku wielded, the blast would surely take out everything within miles. There was no escape.

The ball of destruction flew at Ash, and Goku smiled in victory. He was invincible. They were fools to try and stop the true Legendary Super Saiya-jin.

"NO!"

And then the blast came, flying from the left out of nowhere, a green beam of salvation. It struck the Big Bang blast and knocked it off into the distance. Goku watched with wide eyes as the two blasts flew off and lit up the distance horizon in a powerful explosion.

His eyes followed the direction the blast had come from, and aligned on Goten.

Goten was a mess, his clothes torn and dirty, his face smudged with dirt and sweat. He looked like hell.

But he also had a power level.

Slowly, Goten lowered his arms.

And then he floated up off the ground, slowly drawing himself up to the level of his father. He hadn't known when or how he'd gotten his power back. He'd just known and reacted, trying to save the lives of people who had tried to save theirs. He had succeded, but that meant little to him now. He knew what he had to do.

Goku stared at his son.

"No…this isn't…why…how…?" Goku stammered, and looked around as Gohan and Pan levitated up near Goku as well, their faces hard and determained to hide the sorrrow beneath them.

"Bra, look after your brother." Vegeta said, and he said in it such a way Bra didn't put up an iota of protest. Vegeta stroked his son's hair, looking down at the way Goku had destroyed his body.

There was going to be hell to pay.

"I'll get him for you, son. Be strong. I will." Vegeta said, and slowly levitated up to join the other three.

Goku looked around, eyes still filled with disbelief. This couldn't be happening! His master had said the machine would be guarded! How could it have been put off-line? His master had sworn that wouldn't happen!

But it had.

Slowly, Vegeta raised his arms as his hands curled into fists.

"This…is the end of the road, Kakarott." Vegeta hissed.

And then he thrust his hand up, palm outward.

"THIS IS HOW YOU DO THE BIG BANG ATTACK!"

Goku gaped as Vegeta's hair flared up and became the crackling gold of SSJ as power exploded around his fist and fired a golden ball of energy at him. Finally realizing that the ki-blocking machine had actually been taken offline, he quickly snapped out of it and reared back his arm, whacking the ball off in the distance.

He didn't get a chance to do anything else, as Gohan and Goten has gone SSJ when Goku was busy defending himself.

"SWARM HIM!" Gohan yelled, and charged with his daughter. Goten and Vegeta did the same, and Goku barely got a chance to blink before he was crushed between the four bodies and a storm of punches, kicks, and other blows. The mass of bodies gave off shock waves of force that shook the earth and the laboratory, as the four remaining Z Fighters fought with all their hearts to subdue Goku, hoping against hope they wouldn't have to be the one to deliver the inevitable.

Vagane watched as the four continued to pummel Goku, who was lost in between their bodies. 

"Master…" said the lone Valkyrie behind him, and Vagane turned his head at the young woman, who immediately bowed. "Is this not…unfortunate? The vampire has failed in his attempt to guard the machine and because of that failure, those warriors now have their powers back. Is it really possible that Goku can defeat them all without any kind of interference? They are the mightiest of them all…" the Valkyrie said.

Vagane looked at the woman, and her body tensed as she expected to be punished with physical pain or even death. But Vagane only smiled cruelly.

"Spike was weak, not deserving of my gifts, and this proved it. Now Goku will have to truly fight for his life…and only by doing that, can he achieve his ultimate potential, his ultimate power level. But you make a point…he could very well use a hand…but I think that those four will find that even at full power, they cannot stop the Legendary Super Saiya-jin…and once he had hit his highest peak…then it will be time."

And Vagane turned back to the battle, his fingers absently tapping a few keys as he prepped something. Just in case.

The pummeling lasted another three seconds before the scream tore from within the mass of bodies.

Then they were all blasted backwards as a dark energy ball pulsing with golden lightning exploded from where they had been.

Then beams of black light poured from within the ball and it exploded outward, revealing Goku in SSJ4 mode. Again, his outfit had changed, his pants becoming night-black and his fur an even deeper red, the colour of crimson, of blood. The red marks around his eyes had seemed to flare up and grow even larger, which made the look of rage in his eyes even more terrible.

"YOU INSECTS CAN'T STAND BEFORE ME!" Goku roared, and dashed at Vegeta, who was still trying to recover and power up to a higher state.

But he was too slow, even at SSJ, as Goku smashed with every ounce of power he had. The front of Vegeta's armour shattered as he crashed into a rock face below. Goku screamed and let loose with a barrage of ki blasts, burying Vegeta under hundreds of tons of black rock and destroying the landscape. Bra heard the terrible cracking and crunching noises and looked up as the cliff nearby began to collaspe towards them.

"TRUNKS!" Bra screamed as she went SSJ and covered her badly injured brother. Then they were both buried.

Goku roared his laugher to the heavens, as Goten, Gohan, and Pan righted themselves. The two looked at each other.

Goten thrust his hands down and screamed as golden beams of light exploded upward from the ground and twisted around him as his muscles bulged, his eyebrows disappeared, and his air grew out down to his waist as he transformed into an SSJ3. Gohan wasn't as dramatic, as a red battle aura swirled around him and his hair darkened again as he summoned his Mystic power.

"Pan, stay clear. If you see a shot, take it!" Gohan ordered, and flew at his father. Goten flew at Goku as well. Goku looked back and forth between his two children, then smiled and blurred away just as they reached him. On instinct, Gohan and Goten blurred away as well.

For a moment, the air was silent.

Then the air was suddenly filled with crashes of thunderous blows so loud they caused more of the damaged cliff faces below to begin to crumble. Pan could barely follow the blurs as they zapped over the sky, appearing only briefly as Goten and Gohan exchanged moves with their father before they blurred away again.

The air crackled with sheer power as Goku powered up even more. He was tired of being opposed.

"BEGONE!" Goku screamed, firing off a score of ki blasts. Goten and Gohan weaved through the blasts and rammed into their father, driving towards and into the earth.

Once again, there was silence.

Then beams of red and blue light exploded out from underneath the ground in an almost beautiful kalideoscope, and then Goku blasted outward, powering raning down around him along with a gigantic field of rock pieces. He stopped and began firing ki blasts down into the ground, blowing a huge and ever growing crator into the ground.

Then Gohan and Goten blurred into place on each side of Goku. Gohan charged at his father, but Goku saw him coming and grabbed him in mid-charge, throwing him off into the distance. Goten almost tried a charge and flew right into a punch that hit him so hard it sounded like a rifle shot. Goten flew backwards, but stopped himself and brought his hands to his side.

"KAMEHAMEHA!" Goten screamed, firing the huge blue bolt of power at his father. Goku crossed his arms as the blast hit him and exploded, blowing a huge cloud of smoke in the sky.

Goten didn't let up as he opened fire again, shooting hundreds apon hundreds ok ki blasts into the smoke cloud, causing it grow larger and larger. It enveloped Goten, searing his lungs, but he didn't stop firing until he was utterly drained and had no choice but to stop.

Slowly, the smoke cleared.

There was nothing there. Goten looked around, up, down, all searching for a power level. There was none. He couldn't find his father anywhere.

Could it be…?

Could he somehow…have…?

"Father…I'm so sorry…" Goten said, sadness beginning to flow through him.

"Don't be." Said a voice behind him.

Goten froze, and then slowly turned around and saw Goku floating behind him, having kept there the whole time, his power level surpressed, one arm out, waiting.

"You should know no one is ever dead when the smoke clears, my son." Goku said, smirking cruelly. Goten, however, showed no fear. Only sorrow.

"But I will admit…even though I outclass you in so many ways…you still fought with all your heart. You are my son. You fought like a man." Goku said.

Black energy exploded on his hand.

"Now die like a dog."

"NO!" Gohan screamed as Goku fired a blast straight through his son, a blast that split into two prongs and pierced through both of Goten's lungs. With a bloody gurgle, Goten fell from the sky, wheezing and trying to breath through lungs that could no longer function.

"GOTEN! NO!" Gohan wailed. This was too much. When it came down to it, even Goten had been struck down by his seeming inability to put away his father. And he had paid. Goku had fired that way on purpose, so Goten would slowly suffocate.

The rage exploded through Gohan. If all he had seen before didn't prove it, this did. This monster was not his father. He had to destroy him.

He had no choice.

Goku turned towards his son as Gohan threw his hands.

"MASENKO!"

The blast exploded from Gohan's palms, as big as a skyscraper. Goku's eyes widened and he threw up his arms to block.

The explosion shook the earth again, causing more cliffs to collaspe.

The jarring jolted Christine awake, and she sat up groggily, wondering what was going on. Looking around, she quickly spied her husband lying next to her.

"Ash!" she said, getting up and shaking him.

"Uhhggghhhh…no mommy, wanna sleep more…" Ash muttered. Christine reared back and slapped Ash. That jolted him awake.

"Huh? Wha? Chris? Are we alive? What's going on?"

**__**

Huh! I always knew she was the dominant one!

"Does that answer your question?" Christine said at the Soulfire's comments.

"Yep." Ash replied, slowly getting to his feet and looking at the huge smoke cloud. "What's going on?"

"I'm in the dark as much as you." Christine said, as she looked around for her friends and allies. She didn't find any, but she did see someone.

"Goten!" Christine said, heading over the jagged rocks towards the badly injured hybrid.

"Help…me…" Goten gurgled, fighting furiously to breathe through lungs that could no longer process oxygen correctly. Blood kept pouring from his mouth.

"Hang on!" Christine said, kneeling beside him. Ash knelt as well as Christine put her hands on Goten's chest and began to concentrate. The strain was tremendous, because the lung tissue had been badly damaged and Christine had to fix it perfectly or she could cause Goten even more problems, but slowly the holes in Goten's lungs began to close.

The pain was still there, but Goten wound he could now process air in at least one of his lungs. Christine groaned and slumped, and Ash turned to her in concern.

"Tired…battle exhausted me…" Christine said. Ash looked over to Goten and tried to help him as best he could, tearing off strips of Goten's clothes and trying to close the wounds so Goten could get air properly. His blood seemed to be everywhere.

"Brother…last one…pray…for him…" Goten gasped.

Ash and Christine did so.

Goku looked down on his arms as the smoke cleared, the fur scorched and the skin seared. He began to audibly tell the world that Gohan's blast had actually hurt.

And then Gohan was right in his face, smashing with a thunderous punch. Goku flew backwards and Gohan zapped behind him, stopping him dead with a cracking elbow to the back. Goku roared and slashed a kick as his son, but Gohan ducked under it and began another furious onslaught, pushing his Mystic talent to take him to levels he had never reached before.

Goku flew backward and fired half a dozen ki blasts. Gohan dodged them and threw several ki balls at his father, who countered with a ki shield that he turned into a huge blast. Gohan flew up above the blast and fired off a dozen of his own, which Goku dodged. The two blurred away and then air began to thunder with powerful blows again.

A windstorm began to start up, swirling up huge clouds of dust on the ground and in the air. Gohan and Goku continued their war, ocasionally appeared and blowing away the dust surrounding them from the sheer force coming off of them.

Goku flew back, amazed at this son was matching his power, and even angrier. He brought his hands to his side.

"KAMEHAMEHA!" he screamed, and fired the blue blast at Gohan.

"KAMEHAMEHA!" Gohan screamed, throwing his hands to his sides and throwing the blast himself. The two met and canceled each other out with a mammoth explosion. Ash and Christine held up the arms as dust flew over them.

Seething, Goku lifted his fists and charged headlong at his son. At the same time, Gohan charged headlong at his father.

The two met, each grabbing and blocking the other's limbs at the same time. Goku swung a kick at Gohan's head, but Gohan ducked and thrust a knee and Goku. Goku blocked and fired off a punch. Gohan blocked that and fired off his own punch.

Goku went to block and found nothing hit him. It had been a feint. His eyes widened.

Then the real punch hit him, directly in the left part of his chest, as Gohan summoned every single ounce of power, strength, and fury he had and channeled it into the blow. Goku's mouth opened and he gasped as blood flew out.

Gohan took full advantage of the pain flare burning through his father's body as he cocked back his fist for the final punch. He had felt several ribs snap from his blow, and now as he completed his fists's drawback, he planned to strike the exact same spot as hard as he could. The ribs would be broken inward and rupture his father's heart…and then it would all be over.

Gohan closed his eyes, not wanting to see his father when he did this. He felt guilt, horror, and grief beyond belief, but he would not let those feelings stop him. He had to. For everyone.

__

Father, FORGIVE ME!

And then the cannon, extended by Vagane's commands and finally with a bead on Gohan due to his staying still long enough, fired.

Gohan never knew what hit him, as the concentrated laser took him on the side of the head, tearing across the side of his skull with devastating effect. Gohan's eyes snapped out as the needles of fire pierced his brain…and then he was gone, swallowed by darkness.

Goku watched as his son slumped and then fell from the sky, blood flying from the terrible wound across his head. He hit the ground and didn't move.

"FATHER!" Pan screamed, as she ran to her father's side. She had listened to her father and had not interfered…but Vagane had not felt the same way. When his champion was about to lose, he had cheated and cost Gohan the match, and cost him far far more.

"Father…oh kami father…" Pan sobbed, cradling Gohan in her arms and looking at the large cauterized wound across his head, as blood continued to leak from the tore, burned tissues. Vagane had, once again, done this purposely. Instead of a quick, clean headshot, he had instead purposely glanced the skull for the purpose of flash-frying the brain. It was beyond cruel.

It was just what one would expect from Vagane.

Pan looked up, tears streaming from her eyes, as Goku finally realized what had happened. Throwing back his head, he roared his laughter to the heavens again, even as he reached into his boot.

"Don't scare me like that!" Goku laughed, popping the Senzu bean into his mouth, his expression never wavering as his ribs healed. "Well, it's all been done. I've crushed you all like bugs. Now…how to finish you all off? What would be suitable?" Goku asked, his finger tapping his cheek as if in deep thought.

"Dear god, what else can we do?" Ash said as Goku floated in the air, thinking.

**__**

Pray for a miracle.

Pan stared at her grandfather…and yet not her grandfather. She had been the first to jump on the bandwagon of attacking Goku after he had brutally beaten her father in Satan City. But now…she had given it thought…and she couldn't. The rage that had been there before refused to come back. All she could feel was sorrow over her father…and what a monster Vagane had made out of her grandfather.

"AHA! I have it! It's brilliant, if I do say so myself!" Goku said, and flew up a bit higher. Pan, Ash, Christine, and Goten watched.

Then Goku stopped and thrust up his arms.

"Come world! Come humanity! Give to me of your true selves! Give me your hate, your greed, your fears! Give me your bloodlust and your desire to destroy any you see as a competitor! Give me the true essense of humanity, so that I can spite my foes with it before I smit them! AHHAHAHAHAHA!" Goku laughed.

And then it began to form, a red ball of energy above Goku's head, slowly growing larger and larger as Goku continued to laugh.

Ash felt Goten stiffen in sheer horror, and he looked back to see the same horror in Goten's eyes.

"What's he DOING?" Ash yelled as the ball continued to grow, red lightning crackling on it.

"It's not possible…my father…is forming…a Genki Dama…but not one of humanity's energy! He's using humanity's evil!"

"He's WHAT?" Ash said, not able to believe what Goten had said.

"Exactly! This isn't possible! One can only form a Genki Dama with a pure heart…and only from the energy of life and goodness! Goku is forming one from death and evil! He's making a Dark Genki Dama!"

"But how can he do that if he's…in the state he's in?" Ash stammered, as the ball continued to grow. Now it was the size of a truck.

Goten looked at Ash with dead eyes.

"He's the true Legendary Super Saiya-jin, a warrior with power unequaled by seemingly anyone. I think he can pretty much do anything he pleases."

"AHAHAHAHAHHA!" Goku laughed, truly enjoying the feeling as the darkness of the human heart and soul flowed through him and contributed to his weapon. This would be the greatest way to finish them all off. His master would be greatly pleased.

Then the voice exploded across the plain.

"**_KAKAROTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"_**

And then a colossal beam of golden energy exploded up from the black rock, and slowly Vegeta rose up in the air, the golden power coursing and flowing around and through him, his arms crossed and his eyes blazing with hatred and fury. Stunned, Goku lowered his arms, stopping the flow of power to his Dark Genki Dama.

"This…is the end. This time, I will not be blocked by power dampeners, blockers, or anything else! You have commited atrocities against me, and as soon as I destroy you, I'm going to hunt down your master and give him a fate even worse then yours. I WILL NOT LOSE AGAIN! IIIIIYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Vegeta screamed as he thrust both his arms and legs out. His armour shattered and flew away from Vegeta before golden bolts of lightning blasted down from the heavens and enveloped Vegeta before exploding away into the distance.

Goku smirked, looking at SSJ4 Vegeta, and looked up at his ball.

"Stay there. I'll be back as soon as I deal with my prince." Goku sneered, and blasted at Vegeta, his fist pistoning out.

It hit nothing but air as Vegeta snapped his head to the side. Goku's eyes widened.

"You made a mistake beating me up all those times, Kakarott. Have you forgotten a saiya-jin's power level increases every time?"

And then Vegeta slammed his fist into Goku's stomach. Goku's was doubled over by the sheer power of the blow, his eyes bulging out.

He quickly countered with a kick, knocking Vegeta backwards, but Vegeta dodged away from his dashing punch and smashed a roundhouse across Goku's back. Goku spun in the air several times before regaining control and blasting back at Vegeta. Vegeta blocked Goku's punch and the two went into an exchange of blows that put Goku and and Gohan's to shame.

Warring furiously, the two warriors crashed into the ground and leapt apart from each other. Goku reared back his hand and threw a ki ball, and Vegeta leapt to the side as it flew past him and exploded. Bouncing off the rock, Vegeta flew right into Goku's side, sending him flying alongside a cliff wall. As Goku flew, Vegeta zapped up beside him and grabbed him by the hair, then slammed his face into the cliffside. With Goku's face embetted in the rock, Vegeta kept flying, dragging Goku along the cliff face and burrowing a channel alongside the cliff with his face.

Goku screamed and snapped his leg up and out, but Vegeta flew away. Snarling and with blood leaking from several wounds on his face, Goku flew into Vegeta and the two began twisting in mid air as they exchanged another million punches and kicks.

Goku got the best of it, landing a punch and stunning Vegeta. Goku didn't let up for a second, pummeling Vegeta with scores of punches before drawing his leg back and smashing Vegeta with a axe kick. Not giving Vegata any chances, Goku dashed at him as Vegeta righted himself, throwing another punch.

Vegeta grabbed the arm and twisted it in his grip, causing Goku to yell in pain before Vegeta smashed his head into Goku's face, sending him flying backwards. Goku put on the brakes and zapped at Vegeta with a kick, but Vegeta flew above Goku, and as Goku started to turn around he slammed down ono him, driving his foot into Goku's throat and pushing him all the way back down to the ground, crashing through an overhanging cliff face in the process.

With the wreckage of the cliff falling down around them, Vegeta and Goku began exchanging another blazing series of blows. Finally Goku reared back for a big punch. Vegeta half ducked and half jerked his head to the side and Goku's fist slammed into the rock. Before Goku could recover, Vegeta blurred behind him and punched him in the back, sending Goku's body crashing through the rock face. Goku exploded out the other end, followed closely by Vegeta, who smashed Goku in the back with a kick and send him flying into a rock wall. A huge cloud of dust flew up from the impact.

Goku got to his feet, utterly furious.

"I HATE YOU!" Goku screamed, a large cut on his forehead leaking blood down his face.

Vegeta smirked, and as if he was pulling a switch, his battle aura exploded around him, golden and radient, sending off more dust clouds.

"You're about to hate me even more." Vegeta snickered, and slammed his hands together. "FINAL FLASH!"

The bolt of gold energy erupted from Vegeta's hands, but Goku saw it coming and leapt over it and into the sky. As the mountain behind him exploded and collasped, Vegeta flew up after Goku, firing a gold ki ball. Goku dodged it and Vegeta fired another. This time, Goku reared back his fist and punched the ball back at Vegeta. Vegeta blurred away and the ball blasted another crator in the mountain ranges surrounding Vagane's lab.

Goku turned around just as Vegeta rammed his elbow into his face, sending him shooting back into the ground. Rapidly thrusting out his hands, Vegeta fired of hundreds of ki blast, causing widespread devastation.

Goku blasted up from the explosions and rammed into Vegeta, and the two began another war of blows that carried right back down into the ground again. The two leapt away from each other again, and then Vegeta charged Goku. Goku blocked Vegeta's punch and fired off his own. Vegeta blocked and fired off another punch. Goku took the blow with his shoulder, and fired off another punch. Vegeta blocked it with the side of his fist.

Neither side able to gain ground, Goku and Vegeta set their legs and slammed their hands into each other's. Locking their fingers, they began pushing at each other, their tails lashing around and crumbling and rising around them as each fought to win over the other.

"Amazing! They seem to be evenly matched!" Ash said as he watched from afar. He had watched the whole battle with an open jaw, unable to believe the power and violence. Once, he had fought like this, against Xaxargas, but the whole experience was a blur to him. Goku and Vegeta's fight was crystal clear.

**__**

Yes, but this poses a problem. Who is gonna win if their abilities keep canceling each other out?

"I don't think that'll be happening much longer."

Ash and Christine turned back to Goten, who lay against the rock struggling to breathe.

"After all the times…that…that monster in my father's body has humilated Vegeta, I think that fate is finally going to have to let the scales swing the other way."

**__**

Yeah, but can you speak for fate?

"Let's hope we can. Vegeta's our last hope."

The war of strength continued as Ash and Goten pondered, a war that Vegeta one, abet by cheating as he brought up his knee and slammed it into Goku's stomach.

Goku felt the blow, but that didn't stop him from retaliating immediately, punching Vegeta across the face. Vegeta reared back from the blow and then blasted forward with his own punch, a cracking uppercut that sent Goku skyward.

Vegeta flew up after Goku and rammed both his fists into Goku's back. Goku spun off the blow and snapped a kick at Vegeta. Vegeta dodged and planted his own thrust kick into Goku's gut. Goku gasped as more blood flew out of his mouth.

Goku fought back with punches, but he seemed to be slowing down. Going at maximum for so long was finally burning him out.

"This can't be! I can't lose to you!" Goku yelled as Vegeta dodged aside from another punch and slammed a knife edge chop into Goku's neck. Goku reeled and Vegeta slammed repeated punches into his face, before flipping around and smashing Goku with a flip kick.

As Goku flew backwards, Vegeta righted himself. With a look of fury and retribution on his face, he brought his hands to his side.

"You want to steal my moves, Kakarott? QUID PRO QUO! KAAAAAAAAAAAMEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAMEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Goku's eyes widened as Vegeta shot his own attack at him.

"NO!" he screamed as the beam enveloped him and he was thrown backwards, enveloped in burning energy, his eyes filled with the smug look of saitisfaction on Vegeta's face. He flew backwards, propelled by the Kamehameha, twisting, burning.

And then the scream pierced the air.

"VEGETA! LOOK OUT WHERE YOU'RE SHOOTING!"

Vegeta's eyes snapped away from Goku as the voice rang through his ears, looking past him.

Staring at the red ball of destruction Goku had left floating in the sky, the Evil Genki Dama that he had stopped forming to fight with Vegeta.

The ball of energy that Goku was being blasted straight towards.

"NO!" Vegeta screamed, cutting off the blast and flying after Goku, desperately trying to stop him.

Too late.

Goku flew into the ball and Vegeta stopped dead. He'd been a fool. He had been so focussed on destroying Kakarott that he'd completely forgotten about the ball. His mind filled with fear as he remembered what Goku had done while fighting Super 13.

And then Goku began to laugh, a laugh intermixed with a yell of concentration and fury as the red energy began flowing into him, surging and burning into his cells. With seconds the ball was gone, leaving only Goku, floating in the air, smiling triumphantly.

"Well done, my prince."

And then Goku blasted forward, charged to new limits by his absorbing of his Evil Genki Dama. Vegeta blinked in amazement as he saw him coming.

He managed to block Goku's punch, but the impact sent shockwaves of pain shooting up his arms. He countered with his own punches and kicks, but he could immediately see they weren't having the same effect.

"You never could beat me, Vegeta. Every time you came close fate righted the scales. Now you know you will forever be second best." Goku mocked.

Goku's words rang through Vegeta's head, and images followed of Goku pummeling his daughter and brutalizing his son.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAIYYYYYYAAAAARHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The axe handle hit Goku so hard it nearly tore his head off. As he flew backwards, Vegeta brought up his hands as golden energy exploded onto being on them.

"Neo…Final…" Vegeta snarled, and them slammed his wrists together "FLASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Four bolts of power blasted from Vegeta's hands and flew at Goku, all combining into one single mega blast. Goku's eyes widened at the sheer power.

"IMPOSSIBLE!"

And then the beams hit him, and Vegeta was tossed backwards through the air by the insane force of the blast. Ash, Christine, and Goten all went flying, landing hard several dozen feet away. The whole landscape shook, once again rearranging itself around Vagane's laboratory, which had held up under duress.

The only one who stood her ground was Pan, and that was because she fought with all her strength not to be moved, holding down onto the ground so her father wouldn't be tossed, possibly injuring himself even more.

Finally, the force waves stopped, and Pan looked up at Vegeta, who was floating in the air almost above her, breathing heavily from his efforts. 

Then the smoke cleared.

Nothing. Goku was gone.

Vegeta took a long deep breath and slowly let it out.

Then he spun around away from Pan, facing away from Pan, fists cocked.

Nothing. There was nothing behind him.

Slowly, Vegeta began to relax.

"Sucker."

Vegeta's eyes widened as Goku blurred into existence…behind him. He had turned around expecting Goku to attack him from the back, and instead he had wound up exposing his back. He tried to fix that error.

Too late, as Goku's arms snaked around him and clamped Vegeta in a crushing bearhug. Vegeta began to struggle furiously, kicking and thrashing, but Goku's grip held strong. Vegeta could feel his hot breath on the back of his neck.

Pan looked up at the struggle, at an utter loss. So many times in the past, her grandfather had seemed unstoppable. Now…it appeared it was that way again. And this time might spell their doom.

She watched as Vegeta continued to struggle furiously, partially breaking Goku's grip and freeing one of his arms, but Goku snaked a leg around one of Vegeta's and held on, blocking Vegeta's awkward blows.

Then Pan saw it.

__

He's totally focussed on Vegeta. He doesn't even know I'm here. I can take a shot!

No sooner did this realization come to her then a wave of doubt and sick feelings flowed through her. Pan almost collasped under their brunt, but she managed to hold on.

"Ok Daddy, I'll do it." Pan said, slowly lowering her father to the ground and standing up. "I have to. I have to!"

__

He's your grandfather!

No, he's a monster!

Pan brought her hands to her side. Goku's unguarded flank left several weak points, but she was taking no chances. She would have to shoot him in the back of the head.

Vegeta broke away from Goku's leg grip, but Goku had locked his other arm in a chokehold. Vegeta struggled to breath and keep Goku's other arm away from him at the same time.

Slowly, keeping her power level as low as possible, Pan began to form a Kamehameha. She would have to keep it low until it formed, and hope Goku was too distracted to notice.

__

He used to tell you terrible jokes and you'd laugh to make him feel better…

That man is gone! Vagane destroyed him! I have to do this for his sake!

One arm already locked down from Goku's grip, Vegeta suddenly lost his other arm as Goku grabbed it.

Pan felt like she was going to throw up or cry.

__

He used to sing you to sleep…

That man is dead!

How do you know? He could still be in there. He could be freed. Will you murder him for the sake of destroying the evil that has control of him?

I have to! He would want it that way!

The Kamehameha was complete. Now all she had to do was fire it.

Vegeta couldn't break Goku's grip. He was just too strong.

__

He brought you candy when he trained you…

I can't let him live!

He's your grandfather…

He's a monster! An inhuman fiend! You saw what he did! Goku would never be able to do things like that!

Remember how proud he was when you came to him and told him that you circled the earth? When you won the TB?

Pan began to shake, tears trickling from her eyes.

__

Grandpa…

Do it! DO IT!

Grandpa…

Kill him! 

Goku suddenly felt the twinge of power near him.

__

Grandpa…

KILL HIM!

Vegeta felt it too, as Goku turned his head to see what it was. Goku's eyes widened as he saw Pan holding a fully charged Kamehameha.

__

Grandpa…!

****

KILL HIM!

"I CAN'T!" Pan screamed, lowering her arms as the power faded. She had failed. She couldn't strike the blow. She never could have.

Vegeta felt ice in his veins as Goku turned back to him, smiling cruelly.

"She was weak." Goku said, raising his free hand and forming it into a fist. Vegeta heard every single knuckle pop like a gunshot.

"And you…have lost."

And then Goku reared back his fist and slammed it as hard as he could into Vegeta's exposed back.

Vegeta screamed as his spine shattered, and then he didn't feel anything. All feeling was lost. He went limp in Goku's arms as the power faded from him, leaving him helpless.

Goku smirked and then dropped Vegeta like a sack of garbage. Vegeta fell to the ground, motionless. 

"I shall deal with you later. I wish to savour your helplessness before I finally kill you." Goku chuckled. "But first…her."

"We're all dead." Ash said solemnly, looking as Pan's failure caused the last and greatest of them to be cut down.

Goten was silent. He wanted to hate his niece, hate her for being unable to stop Goku. But he couldn't. Had he been in her shoes, he would have surely done the same thing.

And it had doomed them all.

As Goku began floating back down to the ground, Ash reached over and took his wife's hand.

"I love you, Chris. And I'll always be with you, no matter what happens."

"As will I, Ash. I'll always love you." Christine replied.

The two drew together for a final kiss.

While his exterior was calm, the inside of Goku was raging as violently as Vegeta had been.

__

I left myself wide open. She is nowhere near my power and she could have killed me anyway, even when I noticed her. But she didn't. Why?

Because she is a fool. A weak fool, just like all of them. They can't kill you because they think it is an act of evil. And so they have lost.

Goku pushed the nagging thoughts away as he hit the ground, standing before Pan. Pan was about twenty feet in front of him, her shoulders slumped and her head lowered. She's failed them all. She had been too weak. After all at happened, when it came down to the bottom line…she couldn't kill her grandfather, no matter what had happened to him.

Goku chuckled easily.

"Poor little girl, left all alone. Too weak to do anything." Goku laughed.

__

She could have done something. She could have destroyed you…

Goku pushed the thoughts away as he began walked towards Pan, his tail lashing around him, as if it itself was eager for the kill.

"I'm sorry Daddy. Forgive me…" Pan whispered as Goku approached her. Slowly, she looked up at him, his black eyes filled with nothing but wild glee from death and destruction.

"You were the first to see me become my true self. It is only fitting that you are the last. Any last words?"

Pan looked into those black pits of pure evil.

"I'm so sorry Grandpa. I promised I'd do it. I promised I'd free you in any way. But I couldn't. I love you too much…please…forgive me…" Pan said, lowering her head and waiting for the pain.

When it didn't come, she looked back up in surprise.

The look on Goku's face could best be described as a human having a heart attack, except Goku was not having one.

But the violence that had exploded in his mind rivaled any pain that a heart attack could cause.

__

She said she loved you…

No! It's not possible! They used me! All they wanted me for was their tool! Vagane said they never cared about me! She lies! She lies!

She said it to your face, knowing it would not grant her any mercy. Indeed, it granted you mercy after all you have done.

SHE LIES! NO ONE…

You lie. You lie to yourself and to everyone. Vagane could not destroy Son Goku. Instead, he could only upsurp him. He thought his wish made you infinately superior. In truth you are weaker then anything else in this world.

Pan gasped as Goku brought his hands up to his and began to scream, a scream of total agony and terror.

"NO! THE MASTER TELLS NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH! I AM SON GOKU!"

__

You lie. You are not Son Goku. You are not Kakarott. You are nothing. You are a fraud, a shadow, a darkness that belongs locked away.

"NO! NOOOOOOO! I AM SON GOKU! I AM THE TRUE HIM! I AM HIM AT HIS PEAK, HIM BETTER THEN HE EVER COULD HAVE BEEN! I AM **SON GOKU!!!!!!!!!"**

__

Liar.

The scream grew even more agonous as Goku hunched over, and then Pan screamed as black oil seemed to start oozing from his mouth, his eyes, his nose, his very pores, like something out of an X-Files episode.

__

You have caused pain beyond imagining. You must suffer in turn, and there is no greater suffering then total oblivion. JOIN THE NOTHINGNESS THAT YOU ARE! I CAST YOU OUT!

Goku reared back his head and screamed, and then the oil flew up as a black cloud emitted from Goku's mouth, a terrible gaseous thing that seemed to twist and scream in protest as it was expelled. Goku's whole body shook, and then the cloud exploded outward and vanished with a final cry.

And the truth will set you free.

Holding his head, Goku slowly lowered it. Pan stared at him as he took several deep breaths.

Then he removed his hands.

Pan's eyes lit up. The darkness was gone. What stared back out at her was the kind eyes she had known her whole life, eyes wracked with terrible suffering and guilt.

"Pan…" Goku said, holding his hands out in front of him, looking at them like they were the most blasphemous things to ever exist. "Oh KAMI! WHAT HAVE I DONE!?!?!?!?"

Goku fell to his knees, unable to comprehend all he had seen.

"Grandpa…GRANDPA! YOU'RE BACK!" Pan said, running forward to hug her grandfather. A miracle had happened. In the darkest hour a light had shone forth, a light strong enough to cast out the darkness placed within Son Goku.

Pan never got the chance, for as she reached her grandfather, his eyes fixed on her, he suddenly vanished into thin air.

Vagane stared at the screen, his eyes blazing with utter fury.

"NO! THIS ISN'T POSSIBLE!" Vagane screamed, slamming his hand down on the side of his wheelchair so hard he nearly broke the panel. "THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING! I WISHED FOR ABSOLUTE CONTROL! HOW DID THIS HAPPEN!?!?!?!?" Vagane screamed, turning to the Valkyrie behind him. She shook, utterly terrified at her master's anger, so scared she forgot to bow.

"M-M-M-Master…I ws there when you made the wish. You wished your control to be forever and absolute…but you did not wish for it to be unbreakable…it appears to me that after all you told Goku that they never really cared for him, the girl telling him she loved him somehow…undid everything he believed…in…" The Valkyrie stammered.

Vagane stared, his filled with anger.

Then he snapped open a panel and yanked out a small pistol. The Valkyrie's eyes widened.

"NO! PLEASE!"

As the Valkyrie's brains splattered against the wall, Vagane turned around, still seething, but coming under control.

"It appears I will have to initiate the final step a little earlier…he may no longer be under my control but he has still reached his peak!" Vagane snarled, tapping at keys, locking onto Goku with one of his MRR's and programming it to bring him to the lab next to the computer room where Vagane had been watching the whole battle. Tapping a few keys, Vagane initiated the program and then turned, heading through a door into a laboratory.

It was gigantic, and its main feature was the four tubes, each holding a person. Vagane drew himself next to a panel of keys and waited.

A few seconds later there was a bright flash of light and Goku appeared in the center of the room. He was quite clearly surprised, and he looked around before he saw Vagane.

His hands curled into fists as his tail began lashing, as he slowly rose to his feet.

"You." Goku hissed, anger burning through his veins like acid. "You did this to me! You made me do terrible things, spill innocent blood, hurt and try to kill people I care about! YOU MONSTER! YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" Goku screamed, using words he had never used as his battle aura exploded around him, shaking the whole room.

Vagane was unaffected, and as Goku powered up, he reached over and hit a key.

And then a new tube suddenly snapped out, encasing itself over Goku. He looked around in surprise, then turned his furious eyes back to Vagane.

"YOU THINK THIS LITTLE TUBE CAN HOLD ME!?!?!?!?" Goku screamed, rearing back his arm to punch the tube.

Then the wires came out of nowhere, tiny thin metal streams that seemed to possess a malevolent will of their own, as they lanced out of the floor and split into a hundred threads, each one inserting itself into Goku's right arm.

Goku gasped, and the screamed as the pain tore through him. It was almost beyond description, a burning, lancing torment that seemed to piece every single fiber of his being, affecting him on physical, mental, emotion, and other levels he couldn't even describe, as they seemed to tear him apart from the inside.

"I won't have to worry about that. You won't be escaping." Vagane said, his voice dripping with contempt.

"NO!" Goku screamed, yanking at the wires and snapping them. But as he was doing so, a new storm of wires zapped from the floor and inserted itself into his back. Goku tore it away, but more and more came, inserting and tearing through his body. Goku tried to focus through the pain to call on ki and blow away all the wires, but he couldn't. The agony was simply too great, too deep and terrible. Goku began slowing down but did not cease his furious struggles.

"Fight all you want. You'll never escape, you fool." Vagane sneered.

"NO! I WILL! I-AAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" Goku screamed as the pain, as terrible as it was, suddenly increased tenfold. He crumbled to his knees, even as more and more wires pierced into him and suddenly lifted him into the air, spreading his arms and legs as if they had taken control of them. Goku could no longer fight, the pain was too great. But he could scream.

"For someone like you to have such power. It is ridiculous! You have no idea what to do with it but to protect life and humanity! It sickens me! I thought I made you right, but it appears that you simply had to do it the hard way. Too bad for you. You do not deserve that great power, so I am taking it, and I am going to use it in a way that is far more deserving, you pitiful idiot!"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Goku screamed, as Vagane turned, looking at readings with a wide smile as bolts of white power flowed from the top of the tube and went twisting and turning throughout the base, each going a different way, before they came to their destination, twin black metal tubes.

The power charged through them, flowing into the two beings inside, even as the screams floated down the hallway. Inside one, a lone eye opened, an eye with a red pupil, as it somehow heard the screams.

It smiled. It was well pleased.

"Did you just hear that?" Erik said, cocking his head slightly. Buffy and Celeste stopped.

"Hear what?" Buffy said.

"That…so faint…sounds like yelling or screaming…" Erik said.

"Are you hearing because you have all those gadgets in your head, or did you just not listen to a lot of loud music when you were young?" Buffy asked. Erik looked wryly at her.

"Hey, it's in my contract. I help you save all existence, I get to make bad jokes." Buffy said. Erik smirked slightly.

"Indeed. Thanks for your help back there. It was appreciated." Erik said, turning back and heading down the hallway.

"Hey, no problem. It's not every day I get to jump tall vampires with a single bound and blow Spike up. That jumping thing is kinda fun. Maybe I'll have Riley have his labs built me some kind of spring shoes when I go back to my world."

Erik didn't reply, his thoughts dark. Their battle with Spike had slowed them down a great deal. God knows what had happened on the surface. _Goku could have killed them all…no, I won't think that way. They had to survive! They had to win! And if they didn't…_

"One, it gets old fast, and two, whose's Riley?" Celeste was asking.

"My boyfriend. You see, he works for this government thing called the Initiative, which I thought was kinda cool. Then I found out they built Adam and they ceased to be so cool, but Riley is still with them so they maintain some coolness on behalf of his presense…"  
"DOWN!" Erik yelled, suddenly jumping backwards and pushing Buffy and Celeste down. A second later the air was filled with noise as the wall behind and above the three was riddled with bullet holes.

"Valkyries!" Erik yelled, leaping to his feet as three women suddenly seemed to melt out of the walls like the T-1000. In reality it was probably some kind of hidden door, but it was still quite effective.

The three attacked, each wielding some kind of hand-held weapon. Buffy swung up her sword and blocked the axe swing of the redhead oriental who attacked, then punched her across the face. The Valkyrie didn't flinch, swinging her axe at Buffy. Buffy ducked and tried to slash at her legs, but the girl leapt upward with inhuman speed and Buffy had to roll out of the way as the axe slashed downward at her head.

"Dammit, Vagane must have hopped these three up with drugs or something! USE LETHAL FORCE!" Erik yelled, dodging aside from the sharp-pointed bo the Valkyrie, a huge muscular redhead, stabbed at him. The girl did some fancy twirls and tried to bring the bo down on Erik's head. Erik blocked it with his metal arm and kicked the girl in the gut, then smashed his elbow on her face. His hand talons snapped out and Erik tried to cut her down, but the girl flipped away, throwing several darts at the same time. Erik snapped his head to the side and they hit the wall.

Celeste brought up her daggers and blocked the slash of her opponent, an almost minuscule blond wielding what looked to be a modified _wakisashi_, a small Japanese sword. She ducked under another slash and dodged away from a downward stab. She spun, clocking the blonde with a powerful roundhouse. The blonde was so light the kick threw her off her feet, but that was about it, as she twirled on the ground and tried to kick Celeste. Celeste jumped and tried to stab with her daggers, but the blonde rolled away from it and charged her, stabbing with her small sword.

Buffy almost lost her ponytail as the axe smashed into the wall. Angered, Buffy stabbed forward, lancing her sword into the leg of her attacker. Her attacker cried out in pain, but she didn't slow down as she yanked the axe out and tried to cut Buffy in half. Buffy dodged away, leaving her sword stuck in the girl's leg. The oriental yanked it out and attacked Buffy again. Buffy dodged another axe swing and punched her opponent repeatly. It barely seemed to faze the girl. She swung her axe again, but Buffy grabbed it by the hilt and kicked the girl in the stomach. The girl stumbled backwards, letting go of the axe. Angered, she screamed and leapt at Buffy at incredible speed.

Buffy was faster, as she twirled and swung the axe. The girl crashed to the ground, sans her head and most of her right shoulder. Buffy looked sickened.

Celeste blocked a kick and ducked a follow up slash, snapping out her hand and slashing the girl across the leg. She cried out, but didn't stop her attack, slashing furiously as Celeste as she left a trail of blood behind her. Celeste dodged quickly back and forth before the girl wound up for a stab, and then she struck, leaping forward and slashing. The girl screamed as Celeste sliced off most of her left hand, and then she didn't scream anymore as Celeste blasted her in the chest with an energy blast. Her body flew across the hallway and hit the opposing wall, before sliding down with a trail of blood.

Erik's opponent cortorted herself backward as Erik slashed at her head, then snapped her leg out, striking a powerful blow to Erik's knee. Erik almost fell, but he used his near lose of balance as momentum to spin and bringing up his other leg in a modified cartwheel kick. The girl was knocked back, but then she stuck her bo into the ground and spun around on it, kicking Erik across the face. Erik went with the kick, kicking the bo out from under the girl. As she fell, he snatched it out of mid-air and broke it in half.

The girl was getting to her feet, so Erik threw the shards at her. She dodged both and took advantage of Erik's distraction by punching him in the face, then kneeing him in the gut. Marveling at the girl's training, Erik snapped a heel kick at her, but she saw it coming and ducked under it. Spinning,, she succeeded in kicking Erik's legs out from under him, sending him crashing to the ground in a heap.

Erik immediately began getting to his feet, but stopped when he felt the cold metal against his brown and the click of the gun. So this was the one who had shot at them. And she'd actually managed to get the drop of him. She was good.

"My master will be so pleased that I rid the world of the Failure." The girl said. The mention of Vagane's name caused Erik's inside to explode with rage.

"Oh, a gun. Ok, I see your gun…" Erik said, flipping open his metal thumb as a button extended from it. "And raise you to…"

And then Erik's elbow opened and a tube extended, spraying a stream of thick jelly-like guck out of his arm and at the Valkyrie. It splashed on her arm and chest and she began to scream, dropping the gun in her pain. She danced around a bit before she heard the incredible faint noise that sounded like some kind of cracking, and she looked at Erik as he stood up. He had struck a match.

"Napalm." Erik said, no mercy in his eyes, and threw the match.

The Valkyrie screamed even louder as she was lit on fire, the jellified gasoline proving to be even worse when it was lit then by itself. As she flailed around, howling in agony, Erik walked past her towards Buffy and Celeste, who were staring in horror.

"KILL ME! FOR THE LOVE OF MERCY, KILL ME!" the Valkyrie wailed as the flames began consuming her face. Buffy raised her sword to swing and suddenly felt Erik's hand clamp on her wrist. She looked at him.

"She's a servent of Vagane. Let her burn!" Erik hissed, and letting go of Buffy's wrist, he stalked past her, leaving the burning girl behind as she continued to wail. The stink of burning flesh filled the air.

Then the girl collasped, the screams ending. Buffy started at the burning body, then back at Erik, who was walking on as if he had just dropped a penny. She turned her eyes to Celeste.

"What the hell is wrong with him?" Buffy asked.

Celeste shrugged, but she looked worried herself.

"Celeste…" Buffy said, as she took one last glance at the burning corpse and headed after Erik. "I need to talk to you. I know Erik isn't evil…but I'm beginning to have my doubts!"

"Are you sure you're alright?" Diana said, looking at her son.

"I'm FINE, mom. Just a few bruises. I got off easy. Save your strength, you're gonna need it." Ash said, looking at the Z Fighters lying before him. He was getting flashbacks of Satan City.

**__**

Hey, isn'y anyone gonna ask ME how I feel? I think that fighting gave me a Zyclonawormia Cerbaleuto!

"The fighting gave you a yeast infection in your brain?" Paul replied.

**__**

I withdraw my complaint!

"Dear kami, this is terrible…" Tien said, looking at the men lying before him. Piccolo lay, not moving. The wound in his chest had partially closed, and the Z Fighters had picked up an incredibly faint ki sign, but besides that Piccolo gave all the impression of being dead. And he might soon be, if he didn't get help.

Goten was no better off. The holes in his lungs had been healed to a degree, but he was still incredibly weak from loss of blood, and going into battle would surely kill him almost immediately. Beside him lay his brother, not moving, his ragged breaths giving the only indication he was alive. The wound on his head had been bandaged, but the effects still lingered.

And finally, Vegeta. He lay, shirtless and totally paralized, his spine having been smashed into splinters by Goku. All he could move was his eyes and his mouth, barely. Despite that though, the fury still burned.

"Ok…discounting wounded and crippled…let's see who we have left." Ash said. Goku's arrogance with the weaker Z Fighters and Legacy had actually proved to be benificial. Most of the weaker Z Fighters were barely hurt at all, save for some bruises and burns. Lindsay and Victoria had been the worst, as they had suffered blows from Goku. However, their scales had protected them, to a degree, and thus after some healing by Christine they were ready to go again.

Besides the Legacy, the remaining warriors that could still fight consisted of Chaozu, Tien, Yamcha, Krillian, Eighteen, Seventeen, and Pan. Mr. Satan, Buu, and Ubuu were still missing, and after the blow Ash had seen Ubuu take, he was presumed dead.

**__**

Hey, maybe we did get a miracle! We're all still alive!

"Yeah, although I'd like to know why if someone up there likes us, why they didn't expand the same mercy to these guys…" Ash said, looking at the fallen Z Warriors._ I'm sorry I couldn't prevent this…I'm sorry I couldn't do more to help…but I will go on, for your sake._

"Ok, Mom, do you think…?"

"I don't know." Diana said, kneeling amongst the Z Warriors. "Most of these injuries are so severe, so complex…if I don't want to make mistakes, I have to go slowly. It could take hours…if I can ever do it. But I'll try."

"Good. Hey guys, wasn't there one of you who could heal?"

"That was Buu. Kami knows what happened to him, after what Goku did." Krillian said. He was glad Goku was back, although it did them little good with the way he had just disappeared without a trace.

"Great. Ok, here's what we're going to do…"

"Wait, Ash, Vegeta's trying to tell us something." Diana said, leaning down where Vegeta was trying to speak.

"Where's…my…children…?" Vegeta whispered.

"Where are Bra and Trunks?"

"Dear god, I forgot all about them. Where did they go?"

And then a nearby pile of rock exploded outward. All the standing Z Warriors and Legacy whirled, weapons ready.

But the face that emerged was friendly, as Bra pulled herself up, her hair brilliant and gold. She was holding Trunks, who lay limply in her arms.

**__**

That answer your question? Nice entrance, M'lady.

"What's going on? Am I alive? What happened?" Bra said in a daze, walking over holding Trunks.

As she lay Trunks down, people quickly filled her in.

"Oh no…father…I'm so sorry…" Bra said, looking down at Vegeta as he lay, battered, bloodied, and motionless.

"No…not your fault…Vagane…did this to Kakarott…to me…get him for me…my princess…"

"I will." Bra said, her once again greenish-blue hair flashing gold. "I promise."

"What's Trunks's status?"

"Both his arms and legs are badly broken…but I think he is the least hurt." Diana said, as she examined Trunks's wounds.

"Speak for yourself." Trunks muttered, wincing.

"Ok, here's what we do. Mom, you stay behind and try to help the wounded…however, Vagane might still have more tricks, and I don't want to leave you alone…"

"I'll stay." Rod said, walking over to the side of his ex.

"As will I. I could do little before, perhaps I can do more here." William said, joining Rod.

"Count me in as well." Paul said, cocking the Flatliner.

"Good…I think that should be enough. Ok, the rest of us are going to try and find Buu. Provided we do, and he's still alive, we send him back here to heal everyone. Once we find him, we move on and find a way into Vagane's base. I'm sure you people can catch up to us."

"Count…on it…" Vegeta whispered.

"Ok everyone, home stretch. We beat Goku…but Vagane may have more tricks. If anyone wants to leave…go ahead."

No one left. Ash smiled.

"Thank you. Let's go guys."

And the remaining Z Warriors and Legacy headed off amongst the wrecked mountain landscape. Back at base, so to speak, Diana began to work on Trunks.

"Dammit." Erik hissed, as he poked amongst the guts of the electronic lock. The three had gone on after the Valkyrie attack unmolosted, until they had come to the door. Once the door had proven energy proof, weapon-proof, and Pissed-Off-Erik proof, Erik had had no choice but to try and hack the lock. He wasn't having much luck.

Buffy and Celeste were taking advantage of it by resting, watching Erik's back at the same time. But as Erik continued to work, Buffy spoke to Celeste. She had been unable to forget Erik's vicious killing of "his" Valkyrie, and as she had walked, she had begun to think, something she usually left to Willow or Giles. But they weren't here at the moment.

"Erik would have killed her anyway." Celeste whispered. "Self defense, and she did work for Vagane."

"Yes, but while I cut mine's head off, and you blew her away, he set on her on fire and then walked away! Doesn't that strike you as a tad…unstable?"

"Many people think Erik is insane. Believe me, I know him better then just about anyone. He's more sane then most people."

"Maybe so…but that's not what worries me. Celeste, have you ever heard of Jung?"

"That famous mind doctor?"

"Yeah him, I can't remember what he was exactly either. Normally my brain is on auto-pilot when I take classes, but this lecture on him stuck with me." Buffy said. Celeste noticed that she looked a little worried, even a bit…scared.

"Jung spoke of a dark side in every human, where our more "forbidden" desires and wants lurked. Jung called it the "shadow self", the essential dark side of human nature, the one we hide from society and civalization."

"What, are you suggesting Erik is permanetly living as his "shadow self"?"

"No Celeste. What I think is worse. I think that Erik has been, probably his whole life, trying to keep his "shadow self" locked away. Why, I don't know. But they way you told me Vagane had been playing with him…I think the locks and walls are starting to crumble. He's going from sadistic to outright cruel, and I sense it is just beginning."

Now Celeste was worried.

"And what happens if this…shadow self gets out?"

"That…I don't know. But considering the kind of man Erik is…after all that happens to him…all his guilt and rage and desire to hurt the wicked…it can't be good. In fact…it could be bad. Very, very bad. Absolute Armageddon a brewing, rain of toads and Joey picking Pacey over Dawson."

"A HA!" Erik said, and the two ladies turned as the door opened. Erik threw himself to the side and peaked through it.

"Nothing. Let's go. Keep on guard, we're beginning to enter the main part of the building." Erik said.

Buffy and Celeste joined Erik and the three went on into the darkness.

"I am so glad you guys can fly." Ash said as Chaozu lifted him over another badly damaged rock plain. "This would take forever otherwise."

"No problem."

"Find anything?" called a voice. Brigh's.

"Not yet!"

"Hey! Stop looking up my robes!"

"Sorry."

"Geez, this lab is so bloody big you figure it would have a DOOR!"

"Maybe we should just make a door."

"Too risky. We could give Vagane our location or something."

"GUYS! HERE!"

The Z Warriors and Legacy headed over to Chastity's yell. She had struck pay dirt.

"You're here! You're here! You're not there, you're here!" Buu sang, quite pleased to see so many of his allies and friends.

"I found him, but the battle over there was so fierce we literally could barely move. What happened?" Mr. Satan said.

Everyone filled him in.

"So…Goku has returned. Then he vanished. I sense ill tidings…but I'm proud of you Pan. You saved us all."

"Thank you Grandpa."

"Ok Buu, we need you too…hey, where did he go?"

"Oh, not now!"

"MR. SATAN! Look what I found!"

"What? Where?" Mr. Satan said, climbing up on the rock in the direction where Buu's voice had been.

**__**

OW! OW! WATCH THE SWORD! WATCH THE SWORD!  
"Well, shut my mouth and paint me red." Ash said, as he looked at Buu dancing in front of the huge door. They'd been looking for it forever, and Buu had found it just by wandering off over the hill.

**__**

What's with the redneck talk? Can I join in? What fun! Well, shoot the horse and slap me silly! Well, stomp on frogs and shove a crowbar up my nose!

"SHUT UP!" Everyone yelled at the sword.

**__**

You know, I think I'm gonna call my lawyers about everyone trying to hold down my witty quotes!

"Enough!" Ash said, as he and his companions headed down the slope towards Buu.

"Buu! You found the door! Great job!" Yamcha siad. Buu blushed with pleasure.

**__**

Yeah, now maybe he can find the doorbell. How do we get in?

"I'll handle it!" Buu said.

"But Buu, we need you…"

"Ah, relax! I can open a door with no problem! I'll have plenty of strength left for the others." Buu said. Ash looked around, and the others shrugged.

"Go ahead then Buu." Mr. Satan said. Buu smiled and backed up.

"Um, Buu, just how are you gonna open the door?" Christine asked.

"Simple!" Buu replied.

And with that he charged the door.

"Buu! What are you DOING?" Mr. Satan said as everyone gaped at him.

"Hey, you know what they say! They bigger they are…"Buu yelled as he charged.

That was as far as he got as he rammed into the door head first. As he did was squish his head flat.

"The more bones they break…" Brigh muttered as everyone groaned as the impact. Buu back up as his head popped out of his neck. He shook it and growled.

"Huh. Maybe I just didn't back up far enough!" Buu said, running backwards. The Legacy and Z members squawked as he nearly bowled them over as he ran past them, stopping off in the distance.

"Hey Buu, be careful!"

"Watch it my friend!" Mr. Satan said.

"Don't worry about me, worry about the DOOR!" Buu yelled, charging the door again, blowing past the parted group. "IIYYAAAHHHHHH….!"

In the end, the backing up wasn't necessary, as the door opened on its own, abet quite suddenly. So suddenly Buu couldn't stop.

"YAHHHHHYIYIYIYIYYIYI!!!!!" Buu yelled as he ran right through the now open door, charging headlong into the darkness beyond.

"BUU!" Mr. Satan yelled as his friend charged headlong into the lab. A second later there was a huge crashing noise. "Buu!"

"Did he fall into a trap?" Bra asked.

"No, I think he just came to a stop." Ash said, peering off into the darkness.

**__**

Talk about using your head.

"I knew that joke would be cropping up eventually." Angie muttered.

"So what do we do? Go after him?" Christine said.

"May as well. I think he may hit his head hard enough to knock even himself silly." Ash said.

Slowly, the group of Legacy and Z Warriors headed off into the darkness after Buu.

They barely noticed the door closing behind them like a hungry mouth.

Erik peeked around the corner, scanning for any chance of hostile forces attacking. Finding none, he crept around the corner, followed by Celeste and Buffy.

"Before anyone tries, please don't say "This is too easy", because that invaribly jinxs it." Erik said.

"So where do we go now?" Buffy asked

"We go wherever Vagane is, and they we kill him. As painfully as possible." Erik said, no humour in his voice.

Then he heard it.

"Hold it…" Erik said as they approached the end of the hallway. He peeked around the corner, listening.

"I think there's someone around the next corner." Erik said, sneaking forward. Buffy and Celeste followed him, trying to be as quiet as possible.

"Yes…definitely voices. Get ready, we'll take them by surprise." Erik said, his talons pooping out. Celeste unsheathed her daggers and Buffy raised the sword she had stolen from Spike.

The two reached the corner.

"On three." Erik said.

"Why three? Why not four?" Buffy asked.

"I don't want to discuss pop culture! We go on three, not four! And five is right out!" Erik hissed. He knew Buffy was trying to lighten the mood, but he wasn't in the mood for it.

"I'm ready." Celeste said.

"Ok…1…2…"

"Four!" Buffy yelled, charging around the corner. Erik wanted to roll his eyes, but instead he reacted on instinct, charging around the corner with Buffy, Celeste by his side.

And found the Legacy and Z Warriors standing at alert, weapons drawn. Apparently they'd heard them as well.

"Erik! You're alive!" Christine said. Erik sighed with relief.

"Of course. So are you. What happened?" Erik said as he walked with Celeste and Buffy into the large room where the Legacy and Z Warriors were. His eyes trailed over to where Mr. Satan, Pan, and Yamcha were trying to pull Buu out of a metal wall, where he was stuck headfirst. "Actually, I don't want to know. What happened with Goku?"

Ash told him. Erik's sour looked increased.

"Well…I really don't know how to react to this…" Erik said, pondering over what Ash had told him.

"Erik, do you think he took Grandpa so he could make him evil again?" Pan asked, heading over from her efforts to pull Buu out.

"I don't know Pan…but it doesn't strike me as his style…but god knows what's going on in his head…" Erik said, looking over those who remained. _They survived Goku…they're warriors, no matter how strong they are…what a fine group of people…_

"Celeste!" Buu said, and his head suddenly shrank and he pulled it out of the hole. He bounded over and hugged Celeste. "You're ok! I was worried!"

Celeste smiled slightly, and hugged Buu back. He was a strange creature, but when it came to friendship, his heart was true, and Celeste was glad she had met him.

"Oh, you're hurt!" Buu said, looking at Celeste's blood-crusted wrists and the ugly wounds on them.

"No, I'm ok…" Celeste said.

"Nonsense! Let me help." Buu said, taking Celeste's hands. He touched his forelock to them, and the wounds vanished, along with all of Celeste's cuts and bruises.

Celeste looked at her wrists.

"Thanks."

"No problem!" Buu said, and then realized everyone was staring at him. "What?"

"You can shrink your head at any time?" Ash asked.

"Yeah." Buu replied. Everyone facevaulted.

"Well then Buu, you'd best head back to everyone and heal them. One of these guys will surely…" Erik began.

"What? Leaving so soon? You just got here!" came a sudden, all too familiar voice. Everyone whirled.

There he was, on a huge screen that had somehow come out of the same wall Buu had crashed into, as Vagane looked at the people assembled there.

The mood immediately changed, as tempers flared and people drew weapons.

"Vagane." Erik hissed, his hand talons popping back out.

"Indeed. You want to leave already? After all the trouble you had getting in here? How rude!" Vagane mocked.

"It's over, Vagane. We've defeated Goku. Surrender, and maybe I'll kill you rather painlessly." Erik snarled. Vagane sighed.

"Poor Failure. So set in your goals. It honestly makes me wonder why. You suffer so much. Do you ever know why?"

"For humanity!" Ash suddenly yelled, and Vagane looked at him.

"Oh?"

"You might not consider yourself to be human anymore, Vagane. You might think humans are weak, pathetic, and don't deserve to live. Maybe you're even right on some aspects. But whatever humans can be, you are far far worse. Your evil is beyond anything a human can do. You call us fools for our choice to fight for humans? You are the fool! And for humanity, for it's future, we will not let you destroy it!" Ash said. 

**__**

Yeah, and besides, we get big bonuses every time we take down a major villian!

Everyone yelled in agreement, trying to menace Vagane.

It didn't work, as Vagane merely chuckled.

"You must stop me from destroying humanity? Ah child, when are you going to learn? Humanity sure as hell doesn't need me. Take a look."

And then Vagane's image vanished, to be replaced with other images.

A huge group of people, parading in front of the White House, all with signs saying to destroy or bomb something. They may have all had different slogans, but the people were united in one thing: rage.

Another image, of people wandering through wreckage. One was a woman holding a baby. Suddenly, a group of people, mostly teenage boys, leapt out of the shadows and attacked the woman. She screamed but they ignored her, beating her down and kicking her and her child until neither moved. The teens looted the body and ran off.

With that, Vagane returned.

"As you might have guessed, what I did in the States has generated some attention. In what's left of California, people are doing anything to what they need to survive, even at the expense of others. And as for the bomb…people are screaming it's the Communists, or the Fascists, or the Neo-Nazis, or some other group, and they are screaming that the President must retaliate. The only thing is, the President doesn't know who set off the bomb! But do people care? No! They're screaming for blood and death to others who they see as different, and hence, a threat! What do they care if they force the President into another nuclear war? They need their blood! You have to stop me from destroying humanity? Humanity is quite content to try and destroy itself! It's been trying to do it ever since it crawled out of the primordial soup that created all life!"

"You lunatic. You caused all that!" Erik yelled.

"Maybe so, but I didn't cause all the reactions. This is why humanity doesn't deserve to survive. It can't decide what it needs to kill TO survive! Hence, they will strike at any target they can find. Humanity's large brains have caused far too much strife. It allowed them to adapt a myraid of systems, systems that humans seem to think they can't follow truly unless they destroy every other system there is! And you defend these people? They're just wipe themselves out for their petty greeds and fears, as they've been trying to do for eons! And I could very well stand by and let themselves slaughter themselves to the last child. But humanity isn't content on wiping out just itself. It has to destroy everything around it as well! Thus, I need to get rid of it. When I become creation, Failure, none of this will happen. My life will live in total harmony, with no opposing beliefs and viewpoints. It will be a perfect lifeform…one far greater then all those lifeforms I must cleanse from all the universes that exist."

"A life without inidividuality…without freedom…what kind of life is that?" Buffy said. Vagane looked at her.

"It is perfection, girl from another world. I wouldn't expect you to understand. No one can ever understand a visionary." Vagane said with mock sorrow.

"You fool…" Erik said, and suddenly chuckled. That got Vagane's attention.

"You think you can create? You are wrong. Humanity can create. It may have made nuclear bombs and prejudice and everything else, but it also made all the good things I fight for. You…you can only destroy. Destroy people, things, lives…it is all you can do! You think you can make the perfect life? You wouldn't know how to make a life if it bit you on the ass!"

Vagane stared at Erik, and then he sighed.

"It almost saddens me, Failure. I spent so much time on you. No one ever got as much effort from me as you. I wanted you to be perfect, my destroyer, the one who would make the world I dream of. I tried so hard…and instead you became this. Instead of wiping out life, you decided to protect it. This should not have been. I thought for sure you would be my greatest creation."

"I would rather be your failure then your success!" Erik snapped. Vagane chuckled.

"Yes, that is quite clear. Not as clear as life though. Some of its ironies are so obscure. However, that makes them much more delicious when they are figured out."

"What the hell is he rambling about now?" Ash asked.

"I thought my greatest efforts in life, spent turning this Failure into the weapon he is, would mark him as my greatest creation. Instead…it happened far earlier then I expected, and with far less effort. Eight years of effort…and what I ended up was this. One night of amusement…and I got something far greater. Yes, who would have thought my greatest creation would have come about in my youth, when I capped off a great evening by raping a hooker?"

The words hung there in the air for a few seconds.

Then the realization hit like a twenty-ton bomb. Almost as if on cue, Vagane smiled cruelly.

"Oh…my…dear…god…" Christine said, almost dropping her weapon. 

"What? What?" Krillian said, one of the few who hadn't got it.

"Raped a hooker…that info he sent Erik…Vagane…is AGONY'S FATHER!"

For Erik, it felt like someone had taken a dagger of pure ice and cold and stabbed him right in the heart. His eyes, wide and horrified beyond belief, stared at Vagane's cruelly smiling face.

"Why Failure, you didn't think Agony picked your family as a target at random, did you? I was annoyed that your family was so close to my lab, so I got in touch with my daughter, anomously of course, and I merely…pointed her in your direction. I never thought I would get you in the bargain. What a bonus! Or so I thought."

Erik was now making strange noises in his throat, noises that defied description. Everyone was staring at him, his muscles as tight as a bowstring, his hands clenching into fists and blood pouring from in between his fingers.

Bra felt the backlash, the strange power exploded from within Erik. A second later all the Z Fighters did as well. They recoiled. It wasn't ki they were feeling. It was something far worse, far most…apocolypic.

"So Failure, you say I can't create? I created her, didn't I? And what an example! All creation must end in destruction, it is the way of things…I created something that can NEVER BE DESTROYED! AHAHAHAHAHHAHA!"

****

"GGGGGGYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The scream pierced everyone as the power suddenly flared up from around Erik, a black darkness that tossed his hair around like a spasming body. Vagane chuckled.

"I'd like to stay and watch the fireworks, but I have other things to do. But do feel free to…drop in." Vagane said, and pressed a button.

And then the floor suddenly fell away, and with combined screams of fear and surprise everyone suddenly found themselves in free-fall, plummeting down into an unknown darkness. Erik fell as well, vanishing into the pit with everyone, clawing at the air as he fell as if he expected to find a miraculous handhold.

The Z Warriors immediately called apon their powers of flight and flew back up.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I mention this is the NO-FLYING zone?" Vagane said, and pressed another button. A gigantic pressure suddenly slammed against the Z Warriors, and they fell, unable to keep in flight, all of them vanishing into the darkness again.

Vagane smiled at his work and turned away. He activated a mike on his wheelchair.

"Tormentor? I have something for you to do. There are some wounded rats outside our lab. Do with them as you will." Vagane said with saitisfaction, and turned the mike off. Looking up, he smiled at Goku's writhing form as he tried to keep screaming, his vocal cords having given out long ago, his fists beating weakly on the glass.

"So much to take…but I have enough time to claim it all…take it, my children…" Vagane said, looking at the twin black tubes on individual screens. "Take it, my new greatest creations. You will be everything your mother…my daughter…was, and far far more. Together, WE SHALL RULE EVERYTHING!"

"I'M GONNA KILL YOU, VAGANE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

__

To be continued!

Writer's Notes: Well Shady, you know what they say…"Be careful what you wish for…you might just get it."

*hands Nik Nak tissues* There there, it'll be alright.

I know you might have noticed the two obvious anime references by name. The one I was originally gonna just do is somewhat more obscure. I'll give you a hint though. It happened during the Erik/Celeste/ Buffy vs Spike fight.

Hopefully the next chapter will be shorter. I call it…

"Chains of Fate"

See you then. Long review please.


	6. Chains of Fate

Chapter 6: Chains of Fate

__

"Show me a hero and I will write you a tragedy."

"I'm not afraid of the price I pay, I won't lie down and let you walk away."

Erik landed badly and didn't care.

He didn't care about the pain from his shoulder and back, didn't care that his shoulder could be seperated or bones could be broken. He didn't care about the total darkness around him, that it left him open to potential attack. He was beyond caring about anything except one lone thing.

His whole body shook as he stood, barely able to contain the force and intensity of the emotions running through him, threatening to tear him apart from the inside.

Erik refused to let it. Not now. Not ever. Not after what he now knew.

"Vagane…you…you…" Erik hissed, reclenching his fists and letting fresh blood run down his wrists. He could find no words for what Vagane was, nor for what he was going to do to him now. Vagane hadn't just stolen his humanity. He'd stolen everything else that had ever mattered to him.

But his thievery was over. Now Erik would be the thief.

Then the lights went on. Erik barely blinked. He gave the same indifference to the four Valkyries that had surrounded him, and were all pointing projectile weapons at him.

"Surrender, Failure." One of them said.

Erik gave no mind that the Vagave had done this on purpose, had seperated him from his companions for whatever reasons. He gave no mind on how badly the seperation might be, or what traps Vagane had planned.

All he cared about was revenge.

The Valkyrie was about to say something else when Erik's body dissolved into a black blur.

The air rang with a series of metallic and wet noises, and then Erik reappeared outside the circle of Valkyries, who now all had locks of shocked surprise on their face.

The air was still for a second.

Then Erik snapped out his talons, revealing they were drenched with blood that dripped on the floor.

And then the blood exploded from the Valkyries's bodies. One of them fell backwards, blood gouting from terrible wounds gorged across her chest that had ripped open her heart and both lungs. The other three simply fell apart, blood spraying from their dissected bodies and splattering all over the walls and floor.

It rained on Erik's back, but he paid it no mind at all. Instead, he raised his head.

"VAGANE!!!!!!!!!!!!!" he roared. "IT WAS YOU! YOU RUINED EVERYTHING I HELD DEAR TO MY HEART! NOW I'M GOING TO RUIN **_YOU!!!!!!!"_**

Ash was glad he wore armour, he changed his landing from fatal to merely painful beyond comprehension.

"AH! FUCK!" Ash cursed as the pain ripped through him. Fortunately, it only came in one huge surge. Once that passed, all Ash had going through his body was a dull ache.

"Well…that…was interesting…"Brigh muttered, sitting up next to Ash. Ash looked at his temamate and realization hit him.

"Chris? CHRIS!"

"I'm here, Ash." Christine said, sitting up nearby. "I feel like every bone in my body is broken, but I'm here…and ever ready for action."

**__**

Oyyyyyy…I am the very model of a modern major general…

"Egad Soulfire, stop that horrible rendering of Gilbert and Sullivan. They don't deserve it." Buffy said, getting to one knee. She didn't know how far she had fallen, and she didn't care to know. It might make her realize just how many bones she felt like were broken.

**__**

Great. Yet another one making fun of me. Hey Slayer, do me a favour and PHONE HOME!

"I think Steven Spielberg deserves your quoting even less." Buffy retorted, testing her legs. They held.

"Dammit, that hurt…Eighteen? EIGHTEEN!" Krillian yelled as he sat up.

"I'm here Krillian!" Eighteen said, and almost following that was a moan of pain.

"Dammit, someone get some light so we can see where everyone is!" Ash said.

"On it." Said Christine, concentrating. Her bladestaff began glowing softly, revealing the area around her.

The moan was revealed to be coming from Seventeen, who had his sister and Krillian kneeling next to him. The area around him was bloody, and Ash immediately saw why. Seventeen had come down badly. While most of them had landed on their backs or stomachs after falling god knows how far, Seventeen had fallen with one of his legs stuck under him, virtually shattering the bone into mush that had shredded his flesh.

"Brother…" Eighteen said in grief.

"It's ok…it just hurts like hell." Seventeen said.

Ash glanced around to see who was there.

Erik was gone, along with Celeste. The group Ash could see consisted of Christine, Buffy, Brigh, Krillian, Eighteen, Seventeen, his sister Victoria, Tien, and Chaozu. Everyone else was gone.

"Dammit, I don't want to risk moving him, I could injure him further…" Christine was saying, as everyone gather around the wounded Seventeen.

"Allow me." Said Chaozu, lifting his arms. With great care, Chaozu levitated Seventeen up and carefully extended his leg out, before laying him back down. Christine knelt by the ruined limb.

"Damn, Seventeen, did you hit your leg against the wall as you well as well as land on it?" Christine said, looking over the wounds.

"Can you fix it?" Eighteen asked.

"I think so…"

"Sorry, I believe he hasn't paid his medical insurance."

Then the lights flashed on, blinding the group. Everyone recovered quickly though, turning towards the voice.

Adam did not show a reaction from where he stood, on a slightly elevated area at one end of the room. Behind him looked to be the only way out. But with Adam standing the way he was, there may as well have been no way out.

"Or maybe it's auto insurance. He's an android, correct? Rather fragile if you ask me. What a fool his creator must have been." Adam said.

"Adam." Buffy growled. Adam looked at her.

"Slayer. So they managed to find you and bring you here. A pity, for you anyway. Spike was the one who wanted to kill you. I just wanted to make my own world, and Vagane's offer allowed me to do that without your interference, as futile as it might have been. But you seem to have dealt with the vampire anyway. Once again, a pity. I wanted to destroy him myself, he was so aggrivating. But that does not matter. Once I have dealt with you myself, I can finally get to work on creating the perfect species. Vagane may be wise, but even he doesn't truly know what the greatest form life will take." Adam said.

Buffy looked behind her, and as if on cue she was suddenly backed up by everyone else. Ash and Christine stood at her side, with the others either standing next to them or behind her. The only one who did not stand was Eighteen, who crouched protectively by her brother, and Seventeen, for obvious reasons.

Buffy's eyes were cold and intense. She knew what she had to do.

"You spoke of the destiny of my world as if you knew it, Adam. You said it would be a war. You would lead the demons, and I, the humans. Well Adam, here are my allies, my army. Where is yours?" Buffy said, coldly and yet with a hint of mocking, as she gestured to the people beside her.

Adam smirked.

"I need no army. I am more powerful and greater then any unit of war could ever be! I AM THE ACT OF WAR!"

And with that Adam raised his plasma cannon, the barrel glowing, and fired.

Buffy reacted on instinct, throwing herself out of the way. Everyone else followed suit, leaping, rolling or flying out of the way of the attack as it exploded in the middle of the room in a wave of head and force. Eighteen picked up her brother and leapt to the farthest corner, which was pretty far due to the size of the room. At least the size of two football fields and a good fifty feet high, it was made even stranger by its emptiness. It seemed to have no purpose.

Eighteen knew what it was though. A battlefield.

"Stay here brother. I'll get you when we deal with this creep." Eighteen said, and flew away. Seventeen gave a weak thumbs up to his sister's back.

Buffy rolled on the ground and leapt to her feet.

"You know, of all the things the Initiative told me about you, SHOOTS BOLTS OF EXPLOSIVE ENERGY WASN'T ONE OF THEM!" Buffy yelled.

Adam shrugged.

"I've been upgrading."

Buffy heard a slight noise and then Ash and Christine were at her side.

"Care for some backup?"

"It would be appreciated…" Buffy said, but she was cut off as the Soulfire suddenly began making a strange keening noise that sounded like a cross between a hum and a shriek.

"Soulfire? What's wrong?"

**__**

Nothing! I'm just playing second fiddle!

"Oh shut up!" 

"Excuse me, if you are done argueing with your weapon, I believe I was about to destroy you." Adam said. Ash looked up and growled.

"Let's burn!"

And the three charged Adam, who took a battle stance as Ash, Christine, and Buffy ran at him.

Buffy had lost her sword and hadn't had time to look around for it, but she made do with her fists as she reached Adam and began swinging at Adam.

Adam, once again displaying inhuman speed, dodged every blow she threw. Irked, Ash and Christine attacked him from each side, and Adam displayed even greater combat skills as he dodged and blocked everything.

"How the hell…?" Buffy said. Then Adam stepped forward and Ash and Christine's weapons slammed against each other, the impact knocking both of them backwards.

"Hell has nothing to do with it, Slayer."

Then Adam belted Buffy across the face, sending her flying backwards. As she landed hard, Ash slashed at Adam from behind, but Adam's arm stake burst from his forearm and he blocked the slash, before he spun around and backhanded Ash, sending the warrior crashing into the wall. He turned to Christine, dodged a stab at his head and kicked her in the stomach with a pistoning thrust kick, sending her flying backwards as well.

"Is there ANYONE who can offer a challenge around here?" Adam asked arrogantly.

Then he stepped backwards, and Eighteen and Krillian suddenly blurred into existence as they crashed into each other. They'd tried to squash Adam between them, but Adam had somehow seen them coming.

"Those high levels of power don't do you much good if I can sense them long before you manage to land a blow." Adam said in an almost scolding tone, and then he brough back his cannon arm and smashed it right across both Krillian and Eighteen, sending them both flying. They broke apart in mid-air and Krillian flipped to his feet. He growled and thrust his hand up, forming a Kienzen.

"DODGE THIS!" Krillian yelled, and threw it. The cutting disc spiraled at Adam.

And then Adam reared back his arm and whacked it aside, carefully hitting it in the middle. It flew off course and sawed into one of the walls before exploding, spraying metal shrapnal through the air.

"Parlor tricks." Adam said, and then his cannon arm CHANGED, parts moving around so the barrel vanished and the prongs that apparently fed the cannon power changed shape. Then small energy bullets began flying from the reformed arm, and Eighteen and Krillian leapt aside as explosions blasted all over the floor.

"This is just too…" Adam managed to say, before Chaozu materilized in front of him.

"SOLAR FLARE!"

The incredibly bright light flared, and everyone covered their eyes to avoid being blinded. Chaozu lowered his hands as the light faded.

Adam stood there, unaffected.

"Sorry. After last time, I made sure to modify my eyes to make sure that wouldn't happen again."

Adam's hand pistoned out, grabbing Chaozu by his throat.

"Which reminds me. As you commoners might say, I believe I "owe you"."

And then Adam began punching Chaozu repeatly in the face and stomach. Chaozu cried out from the heavy blows as Adam pummeled him, a smug look of saitisfaction on his face.

"LET HIM GO!"

Adam ducked slighly as the blast from Tien flew over his head, blowing up a section of wall behind him.

"You missed. Your aim is…" Adam said, before he realized two things.

One, Chaozu was no longer in his grip.

Two, he was suddenly floating in the air. He looked at Chaozu, who had his hands out, as blood leaked from his nose and the corner of his mouth, as he levitated him up.

And then Tien appeared above him, and lacing his fists together, he brought them down on Adam, sending the monster crashing down into the ground.

Angered, Adam reared back his cannon arm and smashed Chaozu across the face with it, the mime-like man too slow to get away. With a cry, Chaozu flew across the room.

"CHAOZU!" Tien cried, but he didn't get to do much else as Adam suddenly leapt skyward. Tien gasped as the huge monster drove his knee into his stomach, and while still in the air, slammed his cannon down across his back. Tien smashed into the ground as Adam started to come down again. The bone stake burst from his arm, and Adam pointed it downward, aiming for Tien's spine.

Then he smashed into the wall as the Slayer flew through the air and jump kicked him, sending him crashing back against the wall. Adam landed on his feet, Buffy also did so.

"So, back for more?" Adam asked, and charged. Buffy ducked under his slash and spin-kicked him in the back of his head. Adam used the momentum as he spun low and tried to kick Buffy's legs, but Buffy leapt upward and did a mid-air snap kick, sending Adam staggering backwards.

"I've been upgrading too." Buffy said, and attacked Adam again.

Adam grabbed her by the throat.

"Not enough." Adam said, and threw her across the room.

Buffy landed hard again, but she was on her feet immediately as Adam attacked her again. Buffy dodged away from the slash, but walked right into Adam's punch. Her head snapped back violently, and then Adam kicked her in the chest, driving the wind out of her. He tried to impale her on his bone stake, but Buffy dodged aside and countered with several punches and kicks. Adam shrugged them off.

"Buffy! Here!" Ash yelled, and suddenly Spike's sword was flying at her. Buffy caught it and blocked Adam's slash with his bone stake.

"You are starting to…ARGH!" Adam yelled as Victoria suddenly leapt on his back. She'd held back and waited for an opening. To sooner was she on then she started hammering Adam with as many punches as she could manage from her unstable position.

"Buffy! Take him down!" Victoria said, as Adam yelled and tried to get Victoria off of him. Buffy smiled in thanks for the help and and charged at Adam, sword swinging high.

But Adam still had enough sense to dodge, and as Buffy ran past him he struck, slamming his foot across her exposed back. Buffy flew forward from the impact, losing her sword. No sooner had he done so then Adam slammed his head backwards into Victoria's face. The impact was so fierce that Victoria lost her grip, and as she fell off, suspended in mid-air for a second, Adam whirled and slammed his foot across her side, sending her crashing into the wall.

Adam's eyes turned back to Buffy, as she began getting up. He raised his arm as his arm coverted back into his plasma cannon.

"And now Slayer, you die."

Lindsay lucked out. She landed on Buu.

"OFFFFFF!" Buu yelled as Lindsay bounced off of him. "That hurt!"

"Sorry." Lindsay said, getting to her feet. Unlike the room with her companions, which had been dark, the room she was in was lit.

"Mr. Satan!" Buu cried, and ran over to where his prone friend lay.

"Buu…I landed bad…it hurts…" Mr. Satan groaned weakly, no sure what was injured. He just knew it hurt.

"I'll fix that!" Buu said, and touched his forelock to Mr. Satan. Mr. Satan shuddered briefly, and then leapt to his feet.

"Ah! That's better! I feel ready…what happens? Where is everyone?"

"I am under here." Yamcha groaned, as he pushed aside the group of females he was under, which consisted of Angie, Chastity, Bra, and Pan. The females got to their feet at the same time.

"I never did like heights…or falling from them…" Chastity said, cracking her neck.

"Grandpa, you ok?" Pan said.

"Yes…thanks to Buu. But…is this everyone?" Mr. Satan said, looking at the group. Of the Legacy group there were three of the females, and Bra and Pan. He, Yamcha, and Buu, in a sense, were the only males.

"We must have been seperated in the fall…damn that Vagane…damn him…" Bra cursed, clenching her fists. Buu suddenly looked worried.

"Celeste! Where's Celeste?"

"I'm here." Celeste said, emerging from the shadowed corners.

"Celeste! Are you ok?"

"Yeah…I managed to land fine…although I'd like to know if we were teleported her or something?" Celeste said, looking up at the ceiling, which had no hole in it to indicate a pit. "Where's Erik?"

"He's not here." Yamcha said, looking around.

"Erik…oh god, I wish I could be with you…what torment must rage through you…" Celeste said, looking sad.

"That bastard…is that bitch's father. I can't believe it. No wonder he knew about that info he gave Erik. He must have found out somehow…must have decided to follow her life like she was one of his experiments…that sick fuck." Yamcha said, clenching his fists.

Pan was silent, looking around.

"I wonder if we have gained a new enemy in this." Chastity was saying. Everyone looked at her.

"What?" Celeste asked.

"I saw how Erik how before he fell. After all that's happened…this very well may be the straw that breaks the camel's back. Erik might have gone completely nuts…at the very least, he won't let anyone get bweetn him and Vagane. If anyone tries…be it friend, sister, or…anything else…" Chastity said, looking at Celeste and then glancing away. "I think that he will treat them as a foe as well."

"No! Erik is strong! He can work through this!" Celeste said.

"How much can a man take?" Mr. Satan said. "How much grief before he cannot stand it? I have seen Erik take remarkable amounts…but the weight may simply grow too great. And I fear that is what Vagane wants. I felt of taste of…SOMETHING flare within Erik just before it fell…it scared me. I can't sense ki, but I felt that…and I fear it was just the beginning. I fear that it…may prove our undoing."

"Grandpa!" Pan suddenly said.

"What?" said Mr. Satan.

"No! I feel Grandpa…er, Goku's ki! I feel Mom's too!"

"Videl?" Mr. Satan said, hope surging within him.

"Yes! I feel others, I don't know them but they feel…familiar…what…wait, I can still feel Grandpa's ki, but it's weaker…now it's even weaker…"

"What? Is he dying?"

"No…I've felt the ki of dying people, this isn't it…of god, it's terrible! It's like some kind of horrible drain! We have to save him!"

"Where are they?" Mr. Satan asked.

"They're…there!" Pan said, looking at one end of the room, where a long fleight of stairs led to a large metal door. "They're behind that door! Right there!"

"Are you sure?" Celeste asked.

"YES! I know my own mother and Grandpa's ki as well as I known my own!"

"This can't be right…Vagane wouldn't just dump us outside the door of those he kidnapped…this has to be a trap." Celeste said.

"I don't care! We have to save them!"

"You should worry more about saving yourself!"

Everyone's eyes darted to the voice, and then Alexia Ashford walked from the side of the stairs, regal in her dress and mannerisms. She stopped at the head of the stairs, looking down on the gathered warriors.

"You. I remember you." Celeste said. "You were with Vagane…who are you?"

"I am Alexia Ashford, a far more superior being then you. Vagane is fond of me, and has tried to keep me from the battlefield, claiming it would dirty my hands. I respect that…but I have grown bored and tired of standing by. I wish to cause some destruction of my own…for him, and for my own saitisfaction. You will do." Alexia said, keeping her hands down. She looked as dangerous as a marshmallow.

"Arrogant bitch…" Yamcha spat, assuming a stance.

"Wait! If Vagane is fond of her, there is surely more to her then meets the eye!" Chastity said, drawing her swords.

"I sense evil…evil and…a desire for blood…" Celeste said.

Bra stood, her hands clenched tightly.

"You're Vagane's favorite, huh? Well, he hurt my brother and my father…and he gave life to a woman who hurt my family even more…SO I THINK I'LL HURT YOU!" Bra screamed.

"Bra, WAIT!" Celeste yelled as Bra zapped at Alexia, fists cocked.

Alexia snapped up her arm, and Bra stopped dead in mid-air, a look of pure confusion on her face.

"Foolish little girl."

And then Bra flew backwards at lightning speed with a yell. She flew over the group and smashed into the wall so hard she left a dent. She hit with a gasp. 

Everyone looked at Bra, and then looked back at Alexia as she began to laugh, a laugh of pure scorn and bloodthirst.

And then fire exploded on her body, seemingly burning from within her. Everyone recoiled as flames consumed her dress and body. But there was no stench of burning flesh.

Then the flames faded, and everyone gaped at her.

Alexia had changed. She no longer wore any clothes, but that did not matter, for she not longer possessed the sexual organs of a human woman, or even the look of a human.

Her skin was now coloured a disgusting greenish-grey, and on her right arm and left leg a strange dark green type of flesh had sprouted. Looking like a cross between organic armour and muscle, it had a strange tentacle look to it as well. It traveled up her right arm and covered her shoulder as well, with tendrils branching around her right, nippleless breast. Veins could been seen around where the dark green armour-muscle ended, strange purple-pink trails. On her back were growths of the same material, covering her shoulder blades and running down each side of her spine. It covered her like the chitinous exoskeleton of the insect. To top it all off, Alexia no longer had her blonde hair. Instead, her head was covered by a simular material that covered her arm, leg, and back, poking off from her head in fleshy tendrils. A thick thunk of that flesh hung over her right eye like some kind of nightmare"bangs". She had finally shown the monster that lurked within her.

"This…is my true body. I have hidden away the gifts the T-Veronica virus gave me for far too long, but I will no longer hide it. I crave your slaughter and to feast on your flesh. Prepare to be crushed, pitiful humans!" Alexia screamed, triumph in her voice.

Bra pulled herself from the wall, fury blazing in her eyes.

"FUCK YOU BITCH!" she screamed, as golden energy flared around her as Bra went SSJ. With another scream, she charged at Alexia.

Alexia didn't move as Bra lanced at her, her arm still up. Bra reached her.

And then Alexia reared back and a liquid stream sprayed from her mouth, splashing directly at point blank range into Bra's face.

"AHHH! MY EYES! MY EYES!" Bra screamed, tearing at her face as she stopped in mid-air, and then Alexia reared back her arm and smashed Bra backwards. She flew across the room again, slamming against the wall.

"HELP ME! IT BURNS! IT BURNS!" Bra screamed as she clawed at her face. Angie looked in horror at the young woman, her body wracked with pain as she tried to stop the burning on her face. Then she looked back at Alexia, who stood there, laughing.

"Nice trick. But I have some myself!" Angie said, thrusting her staff down and waving her hands around it.

Alexia saw it coming, and she leapt forward as a lightning bolt struck where she had just been. She brought back her arms and slashed them in front of her, and from some kind of inner pores liquid spewed, a deep red chemical that splashed across the floor. Everyone jumped out of the way, but Yamcha got some slashed on his back, and some also splashed on Chastity. Yamcha waited for the burning.

But none came, and he looked at Alexia as she landed, her frail body now rippling with powerful inhuman muscles.

"Ha! Didn't work bitch!" Yamcha sneered, and brought his hands together to form a Kamehameha.

Alexia smirked.

"Oh?"

And then the liquid burst into flame, and Yamcha screamed as he found his back on fire. He reared back, trying to put out the flames, but he couldn't reach them, and the situation had made him forget to stop, drop, and roll.

Then the fire and pain stopped, and Yamcha whirled, looking in amazement as Chastity lifted the flame off of him. She smiled, and then then the smile drew into a hard line as she faced Alexia.

"You're trying to hurt me with FIRE?" Chastity sneered, and then the flames flew at Alexia, more exploding into being in the process and adding to the fiery bolt. It struck Alexia and swirled around her.

It didn't work, as Alexia smiled.

"You can control fire, girly, but I have fire itself burning within me!" Alexia said, and leapt at Chastity, smashing her backwards with a kick. Chastity landed on her back, and Alexia spun in mid-air and brought her fist down into Chastity's stomach. Chastity screamed and vomited up blood.

"NO!" Yamcha yelled, and snarling, energy exploded around him. "WOLF WIND!"

Yamcha's whole body was enveloped in energy as he leapt at Alexia, fist out. Alexia whirled and took the blow right in the middle of her chest.

She didn't move. In fact, she smiled.

"Is that IT?"

And then she spat, spraying her burning poison. Yamcha leapt to the side, but he wasn't quick enough and some splattered on his shoulder. He screamed and yelled, stopping from the sheer pain, and then Alexia belted him, sending him flying into Chastity and knocking them both out.

"IYYAAAA!" Buu yelled, throwing a ki blast. Alexia leapt up and it exploded below her as she reached the ceiling. She grabbed it and then pistoned off at an angle, lancing towards Buu and driving a kick into his flabby throat. Buu gasped and grabbed his throat, and then Alexia spun over him and at the same time kicked him in the back, sending Buu flying across the room and slamming into the wall.

"Buu!" Mr. Satan screamed, and then he screamed as Alexia didn't stop from her landing, leaping over to him and kicking him across the face. He crashed into the wall opposite Buu, sliding down it with a groan. He was an old man, and against Alexia, he was virtually helpless.

"Grandpa!" Pan cried.

"Bitch." Celeste hissed, whipping out her daggers.

"This girl is pissing me off." Lindsay added.

"I want a second shot." Angie said.

"All together! RAVEN'S BEAK!"

"MASENKO!"

"TWISTING HEAVENS!"

"CRYSTAL FLASH!"

Pan and Celeste fired their familar attacks at Alexia, while Lindsay fired twim beams that flew in a spiral pattern and Angie fired a glowing white blast.

Alexia held out her hand.

The blasts all exploded in front of her, as if hitting an invisible shield.

"Is this the best you can muster? I wish I had taken Adam's opponents…" Alexia said.

Then Bra blurred into existence behind her and kicked Alexia across the back. With a shriek, Alexia flew across the room, hitting the wall.

"Buu fixed the eyes. Payback's a bitch, ain't it, bitch?" Bra hissed, and charged at Alexia, engaging her in a war of blows. Surprisingly, Alexia kept up, but only because she kept varying the mental shields around her and Bra didn't know where she could land a blow.

But she kept trying, and eventually, she lucked out, punching Alexia in the stomach. Alexia flew backwards, but as she did she sprayed another gout of the same red liquid she had sprayed before. It splashed on Bra, and in horror, she tried to wipe it off.

Then it ignited. Bra screamed.

Then ice formed on her body, extinguishing the flames. Bra looked over at Angie as she smiled and gave her a thumbs up.

"Blast. That is-ARGH!" Alexia screamed as Celeste slashed her across the back. She spun around, blood leaking from the cut, and snapped a knife edge chop at Celeste. Celeste ducked and kicked Alexia in the chest, then twisted her body and kicked her across the face. As Alexia reeled, Celeste spun back up to her feet and lanced her dagger at Alexia's throat, hoping her mutating body still kept vital organs in the same spot.

They did, apparently, as her dagger bounced off a shield. Before Celeste could recover, Alexia reached out and grabbed her, lifting her off the ground by the throat with inhuman strength.

"Fry, bitch." 

"Are you sure you're ok?" Paul said to Trunks, who was doing a few punches and kicks to test out his healed limbs.

"Never felt better." Trunks lied. In truth, he still felt rather weakened from the injuries. Diana could heal injuries, but she couldn't restore power.

"Who next?"

"I'm not sure. Goten could be healed quicker…but any of those three could die while I was fixing him. Goten is stable, but god knows what could happen if I try to heal one of the other three. They could take hours." Diana said, looking at Piccolo, Gohan, and Vegeta. Piccolo would be the worst, because Diana had no idea how his alien anatomy worked or functioned. Gohan's brain was damaged to an unknown degree as well, and repairing neural pathways was like finding a needle in a haystack. And finally, Vegeta. He had the simplest injury in the fact that it was a broken bone. It was made immeassurably more complicated by the fact that it was his spine and that Goku's blow hadn't broken it, it had _shattered_ it. Vegeta should be dead, the way his spinal cord had probably been damaged. The fact that he was still alive greatly impressed Diana on the durability of the saiya-jin species and of Vegeta's strength of will.

"Heal Vegeta…he could do more then me anyway…" Goten spat.

"No…Goten could be fixed easier…heal him so he and my son can go and look after my daughter…" Vegeta whispered, putting his selfishness aside for the sake of his family. Diana looked back and forth, not sure what to do.

"Tis a truly difficult decision." William said.

"Maybe you should flip a coin." Paul said, standing on a rock as a lookout.

"I'm not sure…" Diana said.

"Diana, whatever it is, hurry up and pick one. You can't help anyone if you just stand around." Rod said, leaning on his sword.

Diana sighed. Her ex was right.

"Very well…I'll help…"

Then her eyes saw the shadowy figure emerge, directly behind William, raising a gigantic axe to the sky.

"VALIANCE LOOK OUT!"

"What…?" William said, looking up.

Then the axe took him across the back, burying itself in his armour. William screamed as Tormentor roared with joy and thrust his axe back up, sending the knight flying through the air before he crashed back to the ground, blood leaking from the huge cut in his armour.

"Well well, so all the scum isn't crippled. No matter, I enjoy killing live ones as much as I enjoy killing half-dead ones!" Tormentor roared, twisting his axe around. Blood dripped from the barbed edge.

"Shit! Where did he come from?" Rod said, raising his sword.

"Son of a BITCH!" Paul cursed, bringing up his gun and opening fire on Tormentor. Tormentor just smiled a terrible smile as the bullets bounced off of him.

"That lone bullet you got through Goku's shoulder has made you cocky, child. I am blessed. No blade can pierce my skin. And you bullets, in the end, are merely small strangely designed blades. They serve the same purpose, to cut one down and spill blood. Only I will be blessed to do that." Tormentor growled.

"Swords can't pierce his skin? Oh great!" Trunks said, looking down at Rod, whom Tormentor was heading for next. All Rod had was his sword, without it he was virtually helpless.

"Where's Celeste when you need her?" Rod pondered to himself as Tormentor approached, his insane evil smile on his face. "Well, I won't be giving up!"

Tormentor swung his axe sideways, but he was rather slow and Rod easily managed to block. However, the process of blocking nearly knocked Rod over due to Tormentor's inhuman strength. Staggering, Rod ducked under the next swing, feeling the evil axe blade whistle over his head. He spun and struck, but Tormentor's boast proved true: the blade just bounced off the skin.

"Dammit!" Rod cursed, and then Tormentor punched him, sending him flying backwards. He hit a rock face with his back hard but managed to stay on his feet.

"You call yourself warriors? I will not even need my axe to deal with you!" Tormentor boasted, sheathing away the gigantic weapon. The weapon he pulled out looked just as bad though, a huge pole-like weapon with a twisted combination of barbed blades on one end. It look like a mutated version of Christine's Soulstorm.

"Come! Who is next to die?"

"I am." Trunks said, and Tormentor looked up in the air.

"No blade can pierce your skin? How about a FEW KI BLASTS THEN!" Trunks screamed as he went SSJ and began firing blasts down apon Tormentor. Tormentor roared as explosions consumed him. Diana nearly fell down as the ground shook, as she crouched protectively near the wounded.

Trunks stopped as the smoke cleared.

Tormentor stood, blackened but seemingly uninjured. He raised his head and laughed again.

"Very impressive! But those blasts of yours…I am afraid that as long as the fires of war fuel them, they cannot burn my skin either. They are useless! You are all useless!" Tormentor laughed.

Trunks floated, feeling a mixture of confusion and despair. His eye seemed to tell him his blasts had burned Tormentor, but Tormentor was acting like they hadn't fazed him. Trunks wasn't sure he if he was playing possum or not. Was Tormentor SMART enough to try and trick Trunks?

Paul had hopped down onto the ground, and he cocked the Flatliner.

"Ok Ugly, you can shrug off my bullets, but I have plenty of other ammo types as well!" Paul said, and brought his gun up. The barrel widened and then Paul fired a spray of arrows at Tormentor.

The arrows broke against him. Tormentor laughed, swung his blade staff around, and threw it at Paul. Paul dove out of the way, and then he fired off a missile.

The backlash threw Paul backward, and he flew into the group of the injuried Z Warriors, nearly landed on Vegeta with a cry of alarm from Diana. Vegeta was incredibly unstable. The slighest change could cause something to move around, and that could be fatal.

But the missile flew true, slamming into Tormentor and forcing him back with a roar of rage before he hit a cliff face and the missile exploded. The cliff, weakened by Goku, collasped, burying Tormentor in rock.

Paul headed out of the wounded as Trunks flew down by his side, his battle aura glowing around him.

"You think…?" Trunks began.

"Too easy. Get ready." Paul said, cocking his gun as his ammo reloaded. Trunks struck a battle stance.

Tormentor exploded out from under the rock with a roar. He reached behind his back and withdrew twin huge machete-like blades, which he had last used at Satan City.

"YOU SHALL ALL DIE! I WILL CHOP YOU INTO PIECES!"

"Keep him away from the injured!" Diana yelled. Trunks nodded. If that monster wanted to get anywhere near his father and friends, it would have to go through him, and Trunks wasn't going to let that happen as long as his heart was still beating.

It was a surprisingly good kick from Ash, who was used to fighting with his sword. As Adam charged his cannon, preparing to blow Buffy off the face of the earth, Ash ran in from the side and kicked the arm askew, causing the blast to go off to the left and blow up near the wall.

Erik's head snapped to the side from the explosion, blood spraying from his hair in fine droplets.

"I smell battle." Erik snarled, his voice almost feral. It almost seemed like foam would start dripping from his mouth at any second. His senses for death and destruction screaming, Erik ran off into the shadows.

"ANNOYING INSECT!" Adam yelled, smashing Ash across the face with his cannon, before he turned around to take another shot at the Slayer.

Unfortunately, Buffy was no longer fifteen feet away from him. She was right in his face.

Then her fists were in his face, as she hamered him with repeated punches. Adam was floored by the power she was using. She had never been able to hit him that hard before, and it was actually staggering him.

But it wasn't good enough, as he shook off the final blows as his bone stake snapped out again and he slashed at Buffy. But Buffy leapt over it, turning around in mid-leap. For a second, her back was exposed to Adam.

Then she spun around and half slashed and half slammed her foot into and across Adam's face, sending him stumbling backwards.

"Blasted-ARGH!" Adam yelled as Eighteen and Krillian flew into him from behind, smashing him with a simultaneous kick. Adam flew forward, and as he did so, Bright snapped out his hand as four daggers materilized in between his fingers.

"ASSASSIN'S BLADE!" Brigh yelled, and threw the daggers as they were engulfed in black fire. They struck Adam on his side exploded, throwing him against the wall.

Adam snarled and began getting up. As he did, Tien put his hands together in a triangle, looking at Adam between them like a crosshair.

Krillian thrust his hands to his side.

"SHIN KIKOUHOU!" Tien yelled as a huge blast flew from his hands.

"KAMEHAMEHA!" Krillian yelled, and fire the blue bolt at Adam.

"CURSES!" Adam yelled as the twin attacks hit him. The whole side of the room went up in the blast, Tien and Krillian having carefully used their attacks so their companions wouldn't get hurt in the process.

"Woah. I NEED to learn how to do that." Buffy said.

**__**

And pray tell, what are you going to use it on now that Ugly is dead? I'd use it to cook food, but I like my food to be edible, not ashes!

"Oh shut up." Buffy retorted.

**__**

Hmmmmpphhh!

The smoke cleared to reveal Adam, but he didn't look happy.

"GRAH! I WILL BURY YOU!" Adam yelled, his cool finally broken by his foes refusal to die. His cannon coverted back into rapid-fire scatter mode and he let loose, firing the sparks of power all over the room. Everyone dove for cover.

Tien and Chaozu didn't make it, as a spark hit Tien and he was blasted into a wall. Chaozu cried out and then he was hit by the area explosion of another one of the sparks. Chaozu flew up into the air and crahsed to the ground, his hat flying off his head and coming to rest on the ground, singed and smoking. But those seemed to be the only two hit.

Then Eighteen saw one of the sparks heading off into the corner. Directly at her brother.

"SEVENTEEN!" Eighteen shrieked, and threw herself in front of the spark of power.

"EIGHTEEN! NO!" Krillian screamed as his wife's smoking body hit the wall and fell, not moving. "NOOOOOOO! GRAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Krillian screamed, and began firing multiple Kienzens at Adam. Adam dodged through the cutting blades as he ran at Krillian. Krillian, blinded by rage, didn't bother to stop or rethink his strategy as he continued to fire. It only occurred to him that he had let rage cloud his vision when Adam was right in front of him.

And then it was too late, as Adam's bone stake lanced out and pierced right through him, as Adam gored him just like Freiza has all those years ago. Krillian gasped, and then Adam swung his arm and threw him across the room. Krillian hit the wall and slid to the ground, his hands soaked his blood as he clamped them over the wound in his stomach, trying to see through the pain as blood and viscera pooled on the floor around him.

Adam smirked, holding out his arm as blood dripped from his bone stake.

"You call yourself a warrior?"

And then he yelled as Buffy came out of nowhere, leaping up and scything her leg down on the stake, snapping it off. Adam turned towards Buffy, anger in his eyes at the Slayer making him lose his weapon.

"You call yourself well made? Dr. Walsh must have gone to K-Mart for most of your parts. Yeah, no wonder you want to be a god! It's to hide your massive inferiority complex, you walking blue-light special!" Buffy quipped.

"If memory serves me, YOU aquired that arm for me, Slayer. It would make sense that you give me inferior parts! Fortunately, I made sure I built apon what little Mother gave me!" Adam shot back, and swung at Buffy. Buffy ducked and side-kicked Adam, punched him across the face, and then thrust kicked him in the chest. Adam staggered backwards as sparks flew from his disc drive, and Buffy leapt skyward and drove her foot into his face.

Adam shook his head and attacked Buffy again. Buffy dodged away from his blows and punched him repeatly across the face, taking care to not hit the metal part of his head. Adam swung at her again and she ducked, going low and trying to take out Adam's legs.

Adam dodged away, and as Buffy rose, he did something she didn't expect. He leapt skyward and swung his right leg around in a masterful kickboxing move. Buffy couldn't believe Adam could do that, and her surprise doomed her as Adam kicked her across the face, sending her flying across the room.

"Annoying Slayer. Your overconfidence will prove your downfall."

"Oh look who's talking, Mr. "I'm a God"!"

Adam turned to Ash's voice as he and Christine attacked him again with their weapons. Adam growled and went on the defense, lacking his bone stake to even the odds. However, he still did very well for himself, as Ash and Christine slashed and stabbed at him.

**__**

I bet he listens to Vertical Limit a lot!

"No kidding!" Ash said as he and Christine leapt backwards. "This isn't working! Let's try a Crossfire!"

"And what makes you assume I'm going to let you do that?" Adam sneered as he brought up his cannon arm. Ash's eyes widened. He'd been a fool. Adam had been charging the whole time they had been fighting and was now ready to fire.

"DIE!"

Ash threw himself in front of Christine, taking the blast full force. As Christine screamed, Ash slumped and fell, the Soulfire tumbling from limp fingers.

"Ash! ASH!"

"Why do fools fall in love? Or maybe it is the love that makes them fools." Adam said, pleased. Christine's eyes blazed, and for a second she looked just like her brother.

"YOU BASTARD!" Christine screamed, as she spun the Soulstorm above her head. "VAPOR THRUST!"

And then Christine hurled the Soulstorm at Adam like an arrow, the bladetstaff engulfed in white flame. Adam yelled as the projectile took him high on the right side of the chest, piercing right through his heart and flying through his back. Adam staggered and slumped as the Soulstorm buried itself in the wall on the other side of the room.

Then Adam straightened back up, and Christine's eyes widened. Despite the hole in his chest, Adam didn't seem affected at all.

"Not bad. Not bad at all." Adam said, looking down at the hole. Then he brought his cannon back up.

"Not good enough though."

And the the shriek pierced the room.

"YOU AREN'T TOUCHING MY SISTER!"

And then Erik flew out of nowhere, exploding from the shadows like a demon from the depths of hell, his mechanical arm pistoning out and hitting Adam so hard the metal on the side of his head was dented. Adam shot across the room like a bullet, hitting the metal wall so hard he left a dent. 

And then Erik was on him like a rabid animal, smashing him with repeated blows. Christine stared at her brothe's furious attack. _Dear god, this is more then him protecting me. Vagane…what he told him has driven him insane! He's not attacking…he's just trying to rip Adam apart!_

Indeed, that seemed to be Erik's goal as he snapped his claws out and slashed at Adam repeatly, drawing black lines of blood down Adam's back, side, and arms.

"Dear god." Buffy said as she watched Erik slash at Adam. _He's leaving himself wide open for counterattack…but I don't think he cares._

And indeed, that was what Adam did, bringing up his fist right into the center of Erik's chest. Erik stopped his attack, but only because the air was driven out of his lungs and he no longer had the oxygen to fuel that attack. Adam shoved himself away and stood up, but Erik was immediately back on him, slashing and kicking. Seeing right through the uncoordinated and angry attack, Adam dodged aside from a blow and brought his fist across Erik's face with all the strength he could muster.

Erik's head snapped back savagely, and then he slowly turned back to Adam and smiled, blood running from his cheek.

"Oh, so you want a war of attrition? Who will fall first from exchanging blows? Tell me Adam, do you think you can win that war?"

"YOU FOOLISH BOY!" Adam yelled, punching Erik directly in the chest. Erik doubled over, and then stood back up.

"Not good enough."

Adam hit the wall hard from Erik's jumping kick, leaving another dent. He reached up and felt his face, and was amazed when his hand came away wet with his own blood. Christine, watching the whole time, finally tore her eyes from the battle and knelt by her husband. Feeling a weak, thready pulse, she commenced her healing. She wasn't letting the man she loved died.

"How can you…?" Adam said, unable to believe that Erik was taking such crippling blows and just shrugging them off before returning the blows tenfold.

"I'm through being fucked with. Now I'M GONNA FUCK SOME SHIT UP! STARTING WITH YOU!"

Adam leapt off the wall at Erik, swinging his fist. Erik ducked under the blow and spun, kicking Adam across the back. Adam staggered.

"I think you're out of your league." Erik said coolly, his explosive rage have suddenly vanished into think air, replaced by an extreme calm. Somehow, the switch made him seem even more terrible, and dangerous.

"I think that applies to you more then me, child! YOU SHALL NEVER BE A MATCH FOR ME!" Adam yelled, leaping at Erik and punching. Erik dodged aside and slammed his fist across the side of Adam's head, driving him to one knee.

"I've noticed something about you Adam. You talk a lot, but when it comes down to it, you can't back it up. Your ego is bigger then your abilities."

Adam drew himself to his feet, looking at Erik. And then he smirked.

"Ah, but I know just how grand my abilities are, child. And one thing I know…" Adam trailed off.

And then he snapped his cannon arm up and aimed it at Christine, who was still trying to heal Ash. As if she had eyes on the back of her head, she looked up in alarm. Around her, Buffy and the others who were watching gasped in horror as they realized Adam's intentions.

"…is that if an attack isn't working, you switch strategies!"

"NO!" Erik screamed, and he threw himself in front of the blast.

Which never came. Instead, Adam ran forward and kicked the defending vigilante, causing Erik to fly backwards and hit the wall. Smirking, Adam raised his cannon.

"I knew that would happen. Whether in your wild attack on me or your defense of your sister, you are controlled by your emotions, boy. And that will prove your downfall." Adam said as he aimed a shot right at Erik's head.

"HEY! UGLY!"

Adam's head turned the voice as Bright leapt at him, dagger out.

"EAT THIS YOU SORRY SACK OF…!" Brigh screamed, jamming the dagger directly into Adam's neck. Blood gouted from the wound.

But Adam didn't fall.

"Not dead?" Brigh said in amazement, and then Adam smashed him across the face with his cannon and kicked him in mid-air. Bright hit the wall awkwardly and did not rise when he fell.

"They never do know when to quit." Adam sighed, pulling the dagger from his neck.

Then he turned into a combined punch of Victoria and Buffy. Adam staggered backwards, blood spraying from his neck from the force of the blow. But he didn't fall.

"Dammit, how much abuse can he take?" Victoria cursed.

"He doesn't function like a normal organic being! He…!" 

That was all Buffy got to say as Adam leapt to the attack again. Buffy dodged out of the way of his kick, but Victoria was not so lucky and was knocked aside, her armour left with a big dent in it. Adam ignored her, focussing on the Slayer, as she dodged and jumped away from his blows and returned her own.

"DAMN YOU! WHY WON'T YOU JUST DIE!" Adam yelled, swinging at Buffy, who dodged backwards again and jumped, smashing a roundhouse against Adam's face.

Mistake, as Adam's arm shot up and shoved Buffy backwards. As she sprawled, Adam brought up his cannon.

"This ends now." Adam snarled. Buffy's eyes widened.

Then they widened even more as she saw the huge lizard-esque head coming up behind him.

"Really? Maybe you might want to check that memo again." Buffy said. Adam's eyes filled with realization as she suddenly felt the breath on the back of his neck, and he whirled.

Then Victoria's mouth clamped down on him with a yell, as Victoria, utalizing Adam's ditraction with Buffy to transform into a dragon. Victoria raised her head, pressing down with all her might, trying to get her teeth into Adam's body so she could shred it.

Buffy watched in amazement as Victoria shook her head back and forth, but she wasn't winning. Adam had managed to get his hands above him and was using his incredible strength to hold Victoria's mouth open. Snarling and spitting, Victoria even tried banging her head against the wall and floor to try and make Adam lose his grip. Adam didn't budge.

"I will admit I am impressed by your plan and your determination, but I am afraid it is JUST NOT GOING TO WORK!"

And then Adam struck, as Victoria slammed her head against the floor again. At almost the same time, Adam shoved himself backwards, falling out of Victoria's mouth. He did a flip and landed on the floor as Victoria began to raise her head, and then he struck, bringing his fist up under Victoria's head and into her lone weak point: her gullet.

Victoria gasped as pain shot through her body as her air was cut off at the same time. Stunned, she nearly fell over. As she reeled, Adam circled around her side and fired, blasting her at point blank range with a cannon blast. With a shriek, Victoria flew and hit the wall, her massive bulk converting back into her human body in the process.

"Anyone else?" Adam asked, looking around at the spawled and sitting bodies around him. Good. Of all he had faced, only the Slayer and that annoying black haired boy's sister still looked fit enough to fight. He could deal with…

Wait, where WAS the…

Erik's claws slashed across Adam's back, sending more blood flying. Adam roared and spun around, swinging his cannon arm. Erik caught the metal part, and then to Adam's shock, he raised it up and began to squeeze, crushing the metal inward. Adam fought back, kicking Erik backwards. Erik flipped over in mid-air and landed in a battle pose. Buffy and Christine joined him at his side.

"Buffy, does he have a weak point?" Erik asked.

"Yes! The Initiative told me! He has a uranium core in his chest! It's why he's able to keep going despite his injuries!" Buffy replied.

"Good." Erik said.

"GRAHHHHHHHHHHH!" Adam roared. "YOU FOOLS! YOU DARE CONTINUE TO DEFY ME, A GOD!?!??!?!"

And then Adam began to fire again, his cannon damaged but still functioning. This time, the three didn't dive for cover. They charged.

Celeste tried to breathe and found she couldn't from the crushing pressure Alexia had on her throat. But from what Alexia had just said, and the wicked look in her eyes, Celeste was sure her windpipe would be the least of her worries in a second.

Thankfully, she never found out, as Pan flew in and blasted Alexia with a kick to the back. The impact sent both the women flying, Alexia losing her grip with a scream. Celeste managed to twist away and leap and flip to Pan's side.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it." Pan replied, as Alexia got to her feet. She cracked her knuckles. "My turn bitch."

"Don't let her grab you!" Celeste warned.

"Who says she'll be able to?" Pan replied, and flew at Alexia.

Alexia threw up a shield, but Pan zapped behind her and punched her in the back again. Not feeling bones break, Pan ducked and dodged away from a few counter blows and fired a few ki blasts at Alexia. The mutated woman proved to be surprisingly fast as she dodged them, and countered with a spray of her red incinery liquid. Pan dodged it and it ignited on the floor in a long line as she charged Alexia. Alexia dodged aside from her punch and kicked Pan across the back, sending her flying face-first towards the wall.

"Gotcha!" Buu said as he leapt up and caught Pan, bringing her carefully down on the ground.

Angie looked at Alexia, pondering what she should do. Most of her spells needed for her to be outdoors, and the ones she could do indoors, Alexia would either shrug off or would hurt the others as well.

The idea came to her.

"Come to me winds…" Angie said, waving her staff around like a classic sorcerer as she spoke in some ancient, powerful language.

The winds began stirring around Alexia, and she looked around in surprise before a full-blown mini tornado swept up around her. She yelled as the wind jerked her back and forth and eventually lifted her off the ground.

"HIT HER! SHE'S OPEN!" Angie yelled.

The Z fighters responded, as Pan, Bra, and Yamcha threw ki blasts at the flailing female. Alexia proved to have remarkable control by dodging two, but the third took her in the shoulder, nearly blowing off her arm. She screamed as dark blood sprayed around, propelled by the force of the wind.

"ARGH! I'LL KILL YOU!" Alexia screamed, and then she used her own momentum to throw herself out of the tornado and against the ceiling. She riccocheted off the ceiling and lanced at Angie, her foot out. 

Angie was among the slowest of the Legacy, and hence she couldn't dodge in time as Alexia deliver a brutal kick to her chest, snapping several ribs. Angie flew backwards several feet, losing her staff in the process. Her long robes cushioned her landing, but that didn't take away from the terrible burning in her chest.

Alexia smiled, and reared back her arm.

Bra slammed into her from the side, throwing her away from Angie. Alexia screamed in anger and spat at Bra again, but Bra saw it coming this time and dodged, firing a counter ki blast. Alexia took it out with a shield.

Then Chastity's whip lashed around her neck. Alexia gasped as Chastity tried to jerk her backwards, but then she got her hands on the whip and yanked. Chastity flew up into the air, and Alexia leapt up after her, kicking her in mid-air and sending her crashing into another wall near Angie.

"I am really beginning to wish Vagane wasn't a one-wall man." Chastity babbled, and passed out.

No sooner had Alexia dealt with Chastity then Celeste attacked her again, firing a Raven's Beak blast at her. Alexia dodged aside and then Celeste attacked her head on, slashing and kicking. But she couldn't get through Alexia's guard.

"I guess you wish to die first!" Alexia sneered, and grabbed at Celeste.

Celeste dodged away and scored, slashing her dagger across Alexia's face. Alexia shrieked as the blade drew a line of blood across her face before severing the end of her main "bang."

"Hey, it's not like you could get any uglier." Celeste mocked, and slashed at Alexia again.

Alexia caught her wrist, and with a scream, she smashed Celeste across the face and began to pummel her with incredible anger. Celeste tried to break free, but Alexia's grip was like iron.

Then she was thrown into iron as Alexia tossed her aside like she was made of paper. Celeste hit the wall with her shoulder and screamed as it twisted painfully.

"Little bitch."

Pan smashed both her hands across Alexia's head, feeling sick as her fists squished the disgusting flesh covering her head. Alexia screamed, but the flesh also acted like a cushion and she was able to spin, and spit at the same time. Pan managed to keep the poison from hitting her face, but her block made it hit her hand and arms instead. She screamed as they began to burn, a white-hot needle inserting itself into every cell, and then Alexia spun and smashed Pan with a twirling hook kick. Pan flew past her grandfather and hit the wall, groaning from the pain as blood leaked from her nose and cut upper lip.

"Pan!" Mr. Satan yelled, looking at his injured granddaughter.

"YAAAHHHHH! CHARGE!!!!!!!"

Mr. Satan turned to see Buu barreling headlong at Alexia, literally.

"Buu! No!" Mr. Satan screamed. Alexia looked at the strange creature with amusement as he charged at herm bringing his hands up as they crackled with ki energy.

Alexia cocked back her arms to throw her liquid on Buu.

And then Buu blasted his attack.

Right at the ground, carrying himself up into the air. Shocked, Alexia stared at where Buu had just been, and then looked up in horror as Buu fell towards her.

She was flattened under him, not even able to get a shield up as Buu landed on her with her butt. Her shriek was greatly muffled.

"Ouch. Gee. Man, I almost feel sorry for her." Yamcha said, holding his arm, which still ached from Alexia's powerful poison.

"Huh. And Mr. Satan said listening to all of those old stories Krillian told me wouldn't help." Buu said happily.

Then he started yelling as he leapt up, his baggy pants on fire. He ran around, smacking as his rear as he tried to put the fire out, as Alexia got up, utterly furious. As Buu stopped to beat out the last of the flames, Alexia walked forward with three strides and grabbed Buu by the neck, her fingers sinking into his flabby flesh as she hoisted him up.

"You dare humilate me like that! BURN TO ASH, YOU WORM!" Alexia screamed.

And then Buu screamed as he caught on fire, the flames seemingly exploding from within as Alexia caused him to spontaneously combust. The screams were terrible.

"Buu!" Celeste screamed as her friend went up in flames.

"BUU!" Mr. Satan screamed, with far more agony then Celeste. Celeste was Buu's friend, but she had only known him a short time. Mr. Satan had known him for years. They were very close.

Celeste didn't think. She acted, getting up and charging at Alexia as she held Buu and burned him, laughing.

Her shoulder burned as she slammed into Buu, but she didn't care as she succeeded in getting him out of Alexia's grip. Alexia looked in annoyance as the two came to a stop a dozen feet away. No matter. She could easily finish the job.

"Buu!" Mr. Satan yelled, running over to Buu, who lay on the ground, his skin terribly burned everywhere.

"Mr. Satan…it hurts…" Buu whispered, tears leaking from his eyes.

"Stupid creature!" Alexia snickered. Then a ki blast hit her in the back, and Alexia turned to see Yamcha standing there, his arm out, ready to fight.

"Oh, I guess you want some more, huh?" Alexia said, turning away from the three.

Mr. Satan slowly stood up, his fists clenched. He looked down at Buu as he writhed from the pain, and then over at Pan, slumped against the wall, bloodied and beaten.

He thought of Videl, taken by Vagane…and by this woman, in league with him and as mad as him.

"No…" Mr. Satan hissed. "You can crush me, humilate me, call me worthless…BUT NO ONE HURTS MY FAMILY!"

And then Mr. Satan ran at Alexia with a scream as she looked at Yamcha. Caught totally off guard, she turned.

"SATAN MIRACLE SPECIAL ULTRA SUPER MEGATON PUNCH!"

Mr. Satan might not have been able to use ki, and he might not be a tenth of the warrior he once believed himself to be. But he was still a martial artist. He was still a man who had once pulled four buses across the stadium. And he was fueled by rage and fury that rivaled anything Goku, Gohan, Vegeta, or anyone had ever felt.

"WHAT?" Alexia said in amazement.

And the punch hit home, a truly might blow that caught Alexia completely off guard. Blood sprayed from her as she flew backwards, splashing on Mr. Satan as he finished his scream.

She hit the wall as blood sprayed around her, and then she hit the ground, blood leaking all around her as Mr. Satan stood, breathing hard. He'd used everything he had in that punch. And miracle of miracle, it had worked.

"Wow." Lindsay said from off in the corner she had been in, trying to get the drop on Alexia. In the end, Mr. Satan had done it for her.

"Grandpa! Good job!" Pan said as she landed next to her grandfather.

"I am amazed myself." Bra said, landing next to Pan.

"I guess strength can never truly tell you the full measure of a man." Yamcha said, heading over there as well.

"I didn't do it for me. I did it for Buu. And you," Mr. Satan said, looking down at Pan. How much she had grown…and yet how much of a little girl she still was.

But he would see that be gone, eventually. He would.

But Buu…

Mr. Satan walked over and knelt by Celeste. Lindsay, at the same time, went over to check on Angie and Chastity.

"Buu…"

"Well done…my friend. I always new you had power within you, no matter what anyone else said." Buu gasped.

"These burns are bad." Celeste said, looking at Buu's injuries.

"Hey, Buu can heal others, right? Maybe he can heal himself!" Lindsay said, checking Angie's pulse. She was alive, but injured. Save for Chastity. They needed some help. Why couldn't Christine have wound up with them?  
"I don't know…my friend, do you think you can do it?"

"I don't know…I'll try…" Buu gasped.

And then the laughter floated across the room. Everyone stood and looked at Alexia as she stood up.

Alexia held her hands in front of her, blood pouring from her chest. Mr. Satan's blow had been horrific, crushing the whole front of her. Blood continued to pour down her arms, drenching the ground around them.

"So be it…I will unleash the ultimate power of the T-Veronica virus…and I will DEVOUR YOU ALL!" Alexia screamed as she thrust her arms our, blood spraying off of them.

And then the trasnformation began, as Alexia fell to her knees. Suddenly, the greenish-muscle armour began to expand, racing up along her torso and down her back.

Then Alexia's stomach suddenly bulged out grotesquely, and everyone recoiled as her legs bloated out along with her stomach. The body half of her now reduced to a writhing pile of flesh, Alexia shrieked as she grew upward, the flesh that now composed her lower half expanding and extrating four insectile legs on each corner. The armour patches on Alexia's body bulged upward and then split open as twin pairs of crystaline wings sprouted from her back. Alexia's arms has mutated into her body, but she didn't need them as new limbs erupted from alongside her massive lower bulk, a cross between tentacles and insectile legs. Finally, her fleshy hair sprouted up and out as it hardened, and then several new pairs of greenish-white pupiless eyes open in the flesh as Alexia smiled down on her prey, her new limbs/tentacles and wings waving.

Celeste choked down some vomit. Alexia had been hideous before, but now the T-Veronica virus had mutated her into something beyond hideous. She looked like a twisted nightmare cross between a human and a monsterous queen ant. Indeed, her lower part of her body did resemble a queen ant's in places, and her front…bore a sickening likeness to a pregnant woman.

Now over twenty-five feet tall, Alexia towered over everyone from her part of the room.

"You humans. Vagane is wise to want to wipe you out. Your lay waste to everything in your own self- conceived superiority…you think you are the greatest…you are nothing! You are nothing but a pathetic virus, a disease! You are not the rightful rulers of life! But Vagane will make it right. And then I, a commander of a far more superior virus, will create my own perfect system for life. The world shall be my anthill…I shall be the queen…and you are nothing but the little ants I SHALL SQUASH UNDER MY FOOT!"

And then Alexia whipped out one of her leg tentacles, a cruel barb at one end lashing out at amazing speed, shooting at the group of warriors.

It struck Mr. Satan, as Alexia screamed in triumph and vengeance, and Mr. Satan just screamed as the limb pierced right through his upper torso and carried him backwards, pinning him to a wall.

"GRANDPA!" Pan screamed. "LET HIM GO!"

Pan flew at Alexia, but another one of Alexia's tentacles lashed out and whacked Pan aside with a scream. Pan smashed into the wall, but she didn't stop as she got up and flew at Alexia again.

"BITCH!" Celeste screamed, and slashed both her daggers on the tentacle holding Mr. Satan. With a disgusting ripping noise, the tentacle was severed in a flood of black blood.

Alexia shrieked again at the lost of her limb, as Mr. Satan slumped to the floor, blood pooling around him.

"It's up to you now. Make this worthless old man proud." Mr. Satan said with grim good humour, and then fell over on his side.

"You just don't know when to quit, do you?" Lindsay cursed as she dodged away from one of Alexia's leg-tentacles and slashed at it. But Alexia just spat at her and Lindsay rolled away as the liquid coated the floor. It sizzled and then began to eat into the metal, burning it away.

"Shit! She gave her spit an upgrade! It's acidic now!" Lindsay cursed, and dodged away from another tentacle blow. Alexia's speed was utterly obscene. Increasing her bulk to the degree where she could no longer move should have slowed her down. Instead, it seemed she had actually sped up even more. The T-Veronica virus's ability to mold the flesh into a weapon was utterly horrific.

Pan zapped away from two tentacle slashes and brought her hands to her side.

"Kame…"

And then Alexia sprayed her red ichor, and Pan's eyes widened in horror as she was utterly drenched in it. Alexia smiled cruelly.

Pan acted in desperation, as she suddenly began spinning around in mid-air so quickly her body was reduced to a blur. The liquid began spraying off of her, but it was too late to get rid of all of it as it igniated on her.

Pan spun even faster, whipping up a small tornado. Lacking the proper oxygen flow, the flames that flashed into existence were snuffed out almost as quickly, lacking the three-second window they needed to make proper contact and burn.

Pan came to a stop, the world spinning as she tried to regain her senses.

Then two of Alexia's legs clamped onto her. Pan looked over in horror at Alexia's smiling face. Her plan foiled, she had immediately come up with another one.

Which she immediately put into action as she reared up her legs and smashed Pan head-first into the ceiling. Pan screamed as she was knocked silly, and then Alexia slammed into the floor and against the wall.

"Let her go you-ARGH!" Yamcha screamed as Alexia smashed him aside with another one of her legs.

"Pan! TAKE THIS! FINAL-ARGH!" Bra screamed as Alexia finaally ceased her beating of Pan by throwing her into Bra.

"Oh great! Well maybe I can…ARGH!" and that was all of Lindsay's plan that was revealed as Alexia slashed out another one of her legs and smashed Lindsay into the wall.

Alexia laughed, a shrieking insectile sound.

"What fun! How amusing! How tasty looking…" Alexia said with saitisfaction.

"HEARTSEEKER!"

"ARGH!" Alexia screamed as the blast blew through his body, her wings and legs thrashing as blood poured from the wound. Snarling, Alexia glared at Celeste, who stood at the ready, daggers out.

"Not dead? Odd." Celeste said with no humour.

"Fool. Queen ants have seven hearts. You just destroyed one! And I don't think I'll be letting you get another shot off."

Celeste didn't reply. Instead she struck a battle pose, her daggers almost quicering in anticipation.

"They say that in an anthill, occasionally an accident produces a second queen. And seeing how there can only be one queen…they must fight to the death. Well, people have called me Queen of the Night…so why don't we fight so I can show you who is superior."

Alexia growled.

"You idiot. That's a beehive, not an anthill!"

"Beehive, anthill, termite mound, whatever. The end result is, YOU'RE DEAD! CHAOS FLARE!" Celeste yelled, and hurled her energy-cloaked dagger at Alexia. Alexia swatted it aside and sprayed more acidic toxin from her mouth and pores. Celeste dodged away, catching her returning dagger at the same time, and dodged away from Alexia's tentacle blow. Running alongside her bulk, Celeste slashed her across the body, spilling more black blood. Alexia shrieked and sprayed red ichor that ignited in mid-air, sheets of fire spraying through the air.

Celeste ran right through them, the flames snuffing on her body as if they could gain no hold. She leapt into the air up at Alexia and slashed her across the face in magnificent air blow. Alexia shrieked again and swung more tentacles at Celeste. Celeste twisted in mid-air and plummeted back to the ground, hitting hard and rolling out of the way of another tentacle slamming down.

"ARGH! YOU TRAITOROUS ANT!" Alexia screamed, losing her mind more and more into her obsession with the species _Hymenoptera Formicidae_. She spat more burning toxin, but this time her wild movements worked against her and Celeste managed to manuver her blast onto one of her own tentacles. She shrieked as her own fluid burned her, the only part of her body resistant to it the sacs where it was stored.

"Great! All I need now is a giant magnifying glass! But since I don't have that…" Celeste said, throwing her hands above her head. "BLACK RAINBOW!"

The scatter shots blasted across Alexia, opening more wounds. Alexia wailed, but she managed to twist her main upper body out of the way of the final Kienzen-esque projectile. Celeste leapt out of the way of her thrashing limbs.

And then her luck finally ran out, as Alexia manuvered one of her limbs around Celeste and Celeste leapt right into it. With a shriek of triumph, Alexia grabbed Celeste. Celeste yelled and tried to get away, but Alexia quickly grabbed her with three of her other limbs. Yanking Celeste's arms and legs out, she brought the spread-eagled young woman before her, smiling with what remaining of her human mouth.

"Your little coup is over, bitch. There can only be one queen. Only I can rule. Now…I shall devour you through my children!"

And then twin organic holes opened down on other side of Alexia's bloated lower half, and suddenly ants began to pour out. But if any scientist were able to examine these ants under a microscope, they would see that these weren't normal ants. They were mutant giants, with huge manibles and eyes just like Alexia's.

The ants swarmed up Alexia's body, heading up her limbs towards Celeste. Celeste shrieked as they came, but she couldn't get free, as the huge swarm bore down on her, their tiny jaws clicking.

"This is better then cooking you. Instead, I will see you torn apart by my children, who will spread my perfection everywhere once Vagane has granted me godhood! Everything will serve me! I will be the queen of everything! NOW DIE!"

"NOW DIE!" Tormentor bellowed as he brought one of his huge machete like blades down on Rod's sword. Rod cursed as he nearly buckled under the blow, and then Tormentor brought his other sword across, smashing it into Rod's side. Rod flew through the air, turning a flip and managing to land on his feet, even as pain began to burn in his side.

"You're a squirmy one, that's for sure. Let's see how well you can do that without any legs!" Tormentor roared.

"YARGH!" Trunks screamed, slamming into Tormentor, his hair ablaze in gold. "LET'S SEE HOW WELL YOU CAN TALK WITHOUT ANY TEETH!" Trunks screamed, pummeling Tormentor in the face and chest. He dodged aside from three sword slashes, punched Tormentor some more, kicked him, and then blasted him with a point blank ki blast, sending him crashing backwards into a cliff.

"FINISH BUSTER!" Trunks yelled, throwing out his hands and throwing the gold ki blast. It struck the cliffisde and exploded, collasping it on Tormentor.

"No blade can pierce his skin…nor no fire burn it…maybe being buried under a few hundred tons of rock will do him in." Trunks panted. He and his two Legacy allies had been throwing everything at Tormentor, and Tormentor had just kept coming.

Then the rock blasted up as Tormentor exploded out with a roar. Trunks set his legs as Tormentor charged at him, bringing back his arm and throwing a ki blast. Tormentor took it directly in the chest, but he kept coming, swinging his swords.

Trunks leapt, almost losing his legs as Tormentor swung at him. But Tormentor had see it coming and had swung his other sword high. Trunks screamed as Tormentor brought the flat of the blade directly down onto his skull, smashing him down onto the ground. Trunks groaned as pain exploded through his head that rivaled any migraine or hangover.

"Silly boy." Tormentor growled, and then he thrust his swords down, placing the flat of either side on each side of Trunks's head. He then brought the blades together, clamping them on each side of Trunks's head and lifting him up in front of them.

"Such pretty hair. I believe I will keep your scalp as a trophy." Tormentor chuckled, and then began squeezing, crushing Trunks's head between his swords. Trunks screamed from the pressure as his skull tried to keep from caving in, even though it seemed to be just a matter of time.

Tormentor's own bladestaff speared into his back, and Tormentor roared from the sudden pain. It was used to other's pain, but not his own. He dropped Trunks, who fell limply as Tormentor turned. The heads, torso, and faces attached to Tormentor wailed, feeling his pain as their own. He pulled his bladestaff out; the weapon had cut him, but it had not gone deep.

"Very clever child." Tormentor growled at Paul, whose gun was coverting itself back into its normal shape. Paul's mouth was set in a grim line. He had correctly guessed that Tormentor's own weapons might hurt him, but they were so heavy that Paul had been unable to actually pick the bladestaff up. Instead, he had converted his gun properly, attached it to the end of the bladestaff that Tormentor had left in the rock wall, and pulled the bladestaff out and fired it at Tormentor. Unfortunately, it's weight had proved his undoing, as he had been unable to get off a proper shot. Now Tormentor has his weapon back, and Paul doubted he was just going to hand it over for another shot.

"Let's see if your brain is large enough to show it!" Tormentor roared, and swung his blade staff at Paul with one hand. Paul ducked under the weapon's huge reach, rolled, and sprung off his feet and up over Tormentor as the giant tried to bring one of his machete swords down on Paul. Paul sommersaulted over him and fired off his Piercing Eye energy-charged spike. 

It broke on Tormentor's skin. If Paul had had the time, he would have paused to start pulling his hair out.

"Nothing seems to work, does it?" Rod said, joining Paul's side as Tormentor growled with pleasure and advanced on them.

"This is not good…" Goten whispered from where he was watching.

"Do not worry, my children. I won't let that demon get anywhere near you. I swear to God." Diana said, although desperation was clawing at her heart. Tormentor was taking everything and showing nothing for it. It was as if he was invincible.

"God help them…please…" Diana said, as she fingered her Rosary.

"God…?" Vegeta suddenly whispered, and then he chuckled. "I would say your god has long since forsaken us…as has ours…otherwise, this would never be happening." 

Diana looked at Vegeta.

"Maybe you think so, but I will not lose my faith!"

"Your faith won't save our lives woman…why did I ever think otherwise…" Vegeta coughed. Diana didn't waste any more time looking at the crippled saiya-jin, turning back as she watched Tormentor bear down on her ex and her son's best friend. Her knuckles whitened on her staff.

"Anything we haven't done?" Paul asked.

"Yes. How about that Lionheart Crossfire?"

"I dunno, we haven't gotten word back from Squaresoft if we can use that." Paul joked.

"Relax. We're not ripping them off. It's a tribute to them. I have a sword, you have a gun, and you charge my sword with power from your gun and I do a bunch of slashes. Hence, I use a "gunblade", hence the name. Big companies." Rod joked back as he raised his sword. This was the last chance.

Tormentor looked intrigued, and he sheathed his bladestaff and once again withdrew his terrible axe. The pierces of people on him moaned and wailed.

"Surrender, and maybe I will kill the woman rather painlessly." Tormentor growled.

Rod's eyes flashed with anger.

"FUCK YOU!"

And he leapt at Tormentor, sword held out, as Paul aimed his gun at it.

"LIONHEART!" 

A blast of white energy shot from the Flatliner and enveloped Rod's sword, and the Rod reached Tormentor and went into a fury of slashes, slashing at the axe, the demon, and anything in front of him. Smoke was thrown up from the furious effort, blankenting everything. Diana coughed as it rolled over her.

Finally, Rod stopped, gasping. He was out of energy, and he couldn't see Tormentor.

"Is he dead?" Paul called.

And then the axe flashed out of the smoke, its edge slamming into Rod as Tormentor rammed the top of it into Rod's stomach. It wasn't as sharp as the blade, and Rod wore armour which kept the wound from being fatal, but it still hurt like hell as Tormentor lifted him up, growling with pleasure.

"No. But you are." Tormentor snarled, and hurled Rod forward. The older man craashed into Paul, knocking them both in a heap and both out of the fight.

"Ha. Pathetic, all of them. I will take joy in killing them…but first…the wounded."

Tormentor turned and began heading towards the injured Z Warriors. Diana stood still, fear racing through her, as the demonic monster headed towards them, blood dripping from his axe.

"I always like killing the helpless more then those who fight. It is more…saitisfying. Such might warriors…just laying right there for me. They will be my greatest trophies…as will you." Tormentor growled as he advanced on Diana, fire burning in his eyes.

Fire was also burning down in the ruins of the largest lower room in the catacombs of Vagane's gigantic lab. Once, a device that blocked the powers of ki using warriors was here, but the combined efforts from people had laid it to waste, despite its protector.

The room burned, flaming metal and scrap everywhere and smoke filling the air. Nothing stirred.

Then something did.

Half his face looking like a pizza, and his clothes in tatters, Spike stumbled out of the smoke. Burns and injuries covered his body, and he couldn't take a step without agonizing pain, but he was alive. Or as alive as he got.

Finally out of the flames, Spike collasped, reaching down and trying to remove his ruined boots. They burned his hands, but he eventually got the left one off.

"These boots…better be insulated…or I will be bloody pissed…" Spike coughed as he tried to rip open a panel. But the heat had fused it shut. Snarling, Spike tore at the boot, finally ripping it open. A small round object fell into his hand.

"This better do…what Vagane said it would…or I'm gonna be mighty pissed that he made me steal them in case he got the munchies or something." Spike cursed as he popped the Senzu bean into his mouth. With great effort, he chewed and swallowed.

There was a pause.

Then Spike yelled as his body rapidly rebuilt and replaced all his damaged tissues instantly. It wasn't the most pleasant experience.

Then the pain was gone.

"Ha! It worked! That's bloody better." Spike said, standing up. "You think you can kill me that easily, Slayer? Think again!"

Spike then looked down on his clothes. All that was left were a few tatters of his clothing and the cyber-cloth armour that Vagane had given him. He was barely covered decently.

"Bloody hell. Good thing I brought an extra set of clothes." Spike cursed. "Ok, first I change, then I go find Floaty. I give up. HE can kill the Slayer. I just want my godhood so I can blow this joint and get a drink."

There was a loud creaking, and Spike looked up. He yelled and ran forward just before a large chunk of flaming metal crashed down where he had been. Spike stared at it.

"Bloody hell! I nearly got cremated, I don't need to be buried also!" Spike yelled as more of the ceiling began falling down. He turned and ran for the exit, heading of the flaming ruin of the room.

It didn't take long for Spike to come across the bodies of the three Valkyries. He stared at the corpses.

"Well, it looks like you ladies had worse luck then me. I wonder what the hell is happening."

What was happening to Buffy was that she was thrown. Through the air. By Adam. Into Christine.

As Christine broke Buffy's fall, abet a bit against her will, Erik flipped to his feet and attacked Adam again. The two engaged in another series of blocks and dodges: by now the two were beginning to know each other's styles inside and out.

Erik snaped his head back and forth away from Adam's punches and then leapt up and away from Adam's kick. Adam recovered and punched at Erik in mid-air, but Erik twisted his body away from it, landing beside Adam. Adam swung his outstretched fist back at Erik, but Erik ducked as the blow scythed over his head. He leapt backwards and charged at Adam, who stood, waiting for Erik's attack.

He failed to guess properly, as Erik leapt and flipped over his head, and then thrust himself backwards, driving his elbow into Adam's spine, or where he spine once was. Adam staggered forward and Erik snapped out his hand talons, ready to carve open Adam's chest.

Adam whirled and blasted Erik with a roundhouse, knocking him off his feet. But Erik was swiftly replaced by Buffy, who dove at Adam, hammering him with punches. Adam growled and tried to smash Buffy with his cannon, but Christine's bladestaff suddenly inserted itself under the thrusting metal arm and shoved it back up. Left wide open, Buffy and Christine both blasted Adam with a punch, sending him flying backwards several feet.

"Let's finish this sis!" Erik said, flashing Christine a signal that Buffy didn't understand. But she understood that she had best get out of the way.

"Buffy! Where is the core?" Christine yelled.

"Somewhere in his chest! I don't know!"

"Thanks." Christine said, as she brought the Soulstorm above her head and spun it in a fancy pattern as Buffy watched. Erik cocked back his hand.

"SWAN SONG!"

And then Erik threw his hand forward as dark energy erupted off his palm and wrapped around the Soulstorm's blade. Christine did one last twirl for momentum and cocked back her arm.

"INFIDELS!" Adam roared, and let loose with another spray of cannon blasts, as if he was trying to get as much out of his arm before it became too broken to be used. Despite his beyond genius mind, Adam still was tainted with some human qualities, and he was beginning to get consumed by one: frustration. He should have destroyed all his opponents long ago. Not only had he failed that, but they were actually hurting him.

Hence his wild spray of fire with his cannon, not his scatter shot. Erik's assult on his weapon had damged it too badly for it to be converted.

Had Adam been thinking clearly, he would have realized that the room had already suffered severe abuse and that his wild fire might collaspe it down on his head. But Adam, for once in his life, was not thinking clearly.

But he was certainly lucky, as one of his blasts exploded at the feet of Christine, sending her flying backwards with a cry of pain, her weapon flying out of her hands. Buffy dove for cover as Erik took one of the blasts head on, his block lessening but not negating the damage.

"You see. No matter how many times you knock me down, I will always rise again, for like the mystical phoenix, I AM IMMORTAL!" Adam roared.

"SLAUGHTER SLICE!"

"ARGH!" Adam screamed as Ash's blade flashed out, covered in red energy, and slashed across his chest in a spray of blood. Adam clenched his teeth, the top muscles of his torso badly cut, as he glared at Ash, who stood, burned and bloodied but back on his feet.

"I may not be immortal, but I am mighty pissed. You-hurt-my-wife." Ash snarled.

**__**

I almost feel sorry for you.

"YOU CAN'T DEFEAT ME!" Adam roared as Ash began slashing at him, cutting open more wounds on his chest and body.

Buffy shook her head as she got to her feet, looking around. Ash was furiously attacking Adam, Erik was also getting up, and Christine was down, some stirring the only indication that she was alive.

"ARRRGGGHHH!" Adam bellowed, punching at Ash as he leapt backwards.

"You cannot stand before my power. I am Ash Merseric, the Ninth Lost Hero, slayer of the wicked and of the corrupt. I shall wipe this earth from your taint! ULTIMATE TECHNIQUE! ALL CREATION'S CATA-"

Adam's blow slammed into Ash's face, sending him flying backwards into the wall.

**__**

You idiot! You just had to go for the big long speech, didn't you? What, did you think time would freeze when you spoke? This ain't Sailor Moon and you ain't no Usagi!

"You are nothing but an arrogant child whose mind cannot comprehend the power he is facing." Adam retorted, aiming his cannon up again.

"Buffy!" Erik yelled, and Buffy looked over to him. "His chest! Ash cut it open! I can see his core!"

Indeed, from within the torn flesh was a faint glowing green object, a core of power that drove Adam on when any normal being would have long ceased living.

"Buffy!" Erik was continued to yell, using Adam's focus on Ash to his advantage. "Chris's weapon is at your feet! Use it!"

Buffy looked down to see Christine's Soulstorm, the blade still crackling with black energy.

"How?" she yelled back.

"Pick it up and do the motions you saw Christine do! Then throw it!" Erik yelled, and then he charged at Adam. The time for talking was over.

Buffy reached down and scooped up the weapon, her mind racing. Erik had told her to mimic Christine's movements. But she had only seen those movements once! And she hadn't exactly had her fully attention on it at the time. She had trouble passing tests even when she found adequate time to study. How could she mimic movements she had only seen once?

Adam was oblivious to this drama. He had wasted far too much time, and his patience was finished. No more underestimating.

"Foolish mortal. You face me without any chance of winning, and not only that, your bring your friends, your family with you, this ensuring their deaths as well. You can't win and yet you fight, deciding to make such sacrifice. It lacks logic. It is an abbrevriation, a mistake of life that leads to death. Whatever it is, it must be removed." Adam said, charging up his cannon for one final shot.

Buffy watched and went into action. She may not know the motions, but she was going to try! She had to!

As Buffy began twirling the staff awkwardly above and around her, white light glowed at the base of Adam's cannon.

Adam smiled.

And then, strangely, Ash smirked back at Adam. Confusion entered Adam's mind. What was the boy…?

Then Erik's claws came slashing down, and Adam's cannon arm was sliced off, quick and clean. It clattered to the ground as Adam turned o look at Erik in shock. He had control of his rage now, but the same crazy violence he had demonstrated when he had first attacked Adam still danced there.

"You wouldn't understand it Adam. Its called heroism. And it has led to your downfall."

And Buffy suddenly felt a great calm flow through her as she finished her awkward mimickry, the strangeness suddenly seeming natural.

Power exploded up around her, blowing her hair around as it fed up into the staff. It was a feeling unlike any she had ever felt…and yet it was familiar. The song of the hero.

Adam turned.

"Game over Adam. Say hello to the devil for me." Buffy said.

And then she hurled the Soulstorm, the black energy engulfing the whole weapon as it blasted at Adam. Adam's eyes widened, showing, for the first time, fear.

"NO!"

The blade hit him directly in the chest, piercing right through his uranium core like a hot knife through butter. Adam screamed as he was blasted backwards, carried by the weapon, and impaled on the wall. He thrashed and writhed.

Then his hands came down on the Soulstorm, the black power burning him as he began to yank at the Soulstorm, nuclear fuel leaking from his chest. Ash gaped at Adam. This just couldn't be happening. Adam had to go down. He couldn't go on, his core was pierced right through…!

"Buffy!" Christine yelled, and Buffy looked away from Adam as he tried to yank the Soulstorm out. "There's one final motion! Thrust your arm up!"

"Never…!" Adam hissed. Buffy looked back at him, her eyes filled with anger, and even a little pity.

Then there was only anger, as she thrust her arm up.

And for her own saitisfaction, she gave Adam the finger as well.

Adam felt the power in the Soulstorm pulse and expand, ready to erupt.

"IMPOSSIBLE!!!!!!!"

And then it exploded, blowing the core to nothing and burning away the wall behind Adam into a pile of molten slag. Adam's whole chest burst out and away as the Soulstorm flew through the air, freed from its prison.

Buffy held up her hand, and the Soulstorm flew back into it. Adam stood for a few more seconds, staring in disbelief.

Then he fell to his knees, the light fading from his eyes, and then collasped on his face, not moving.

Perfection destroyed.

Buffy let her breath out, glad it was finally over.

"Well Adam, how do you like them apples?"

Celeste thrashed in Alexia's grip as the ants raced up Alexia's limbs towards her. She tried to get her daggers out to slash, but Alexia's grip was beyond even her strength.

"Despite the new tools for life I have given them, my children take a rather long time to devour anything large. Therefore Celeste, you will get to see a rather unique thing. You will see your body being taken apart, CELL BY CELL. MWA HAHA HA HA HA HA!" Alexia laughed.

"Never! I'll never die at your hands! I have more stuff to do! I have a destiny, and it doesn't end here!" Celeste yelled, but she continue in her inabilility to break Alexia's grip. Alexia laughed again and Celeste gasped in horror as the first ants began crawling onto her arms.

"STOP IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

And then a strange, powerful heat washed over Celeste. It wasn't comfortable, in fact it was almost painful, but compaed to many things in her life it was nothing.

But to Alexia, it was anything but. She screamed as the wave washed over her, burning up and incinerating her children and scorching her mutated flesh. Her wings thrashed and slumped, seemingly starting to melt.

Celeste twisted her head back to see what was going on.

Buu stood there, his body no longer burned. Apparently he could heal himself. His legs were set and his hands were out as he emitted the strange force he was emitting. It wasn't a ki blast, because that would have definitely hurt Celeste. It could best be described as a kind of _dilluted_ ki blast that had a very wide range. 

And it was brutally effective, as Alexia continued to thrash, her ants falling away in flaming showers.

"MY BABIES! MY CHILDREN! NO! YOU ACCURSED THING!" Alexia bellowed, as she lashed out her leg.

Buu leapt out of the way, stopping his ki "wave" and firing off a blast. Alexia screamed as Buu blew one of the legs holding Celeste off in a gouting spray of black blood. Celeste wrenched her arm free, whipping out one of her daggers.

"Now I…!"

Alexia whipped around another limb, clamping in onto Celeste's arm, trapping her again.

"You will do nothing. I have wasted enough time. You have hurt me and murdered my children. You're not worthy to be devoured by me, you worthless sack of flesh. I'm going to eat all your friends, but you…no. I think I'll give you to Vagane so he can use you as a toy. Yes, that will be most fitting of all. You can be his tool, you bitch!"

And then Alexia reared back her limbs and hurled Celeste backwards as hard as she could.

"CELESTE!" Buu screamed as Celeste shot over his head.

Celeste hit the wall hard, so hard she left a dent. Maybe Pan or Bra could have shrugged off the impact, but she was neither. There was a faint gurgling noise, and then blood spilled forth from Celeste's mouth as she fell to the ground, lying there, vomiting up blood.

"Bitch." Alexia said with saitisfaction, and then found Buu floating in front of her.

"Oh, and what are you going to do? Swear revenge for your fallen friends? Get it over with then, and try and make it original." Alexia chuckled.

"I…am not going to do anything." Buu snarled. Alexia looked a little confused.

"WE are."

Then Bra floated up next to Buu. Pan joined him, and finally bringing up the rear was Yamcha. The four Z Warriors glowered at Alexia.

"End of the line, bitch."

"OH, DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH!" Alexia yelled, and spat her acidic toxin at the group. The group scattered, Buu flying down to the ground, Pan and Bra flying off to the side and Yamcha heading up into the air.

"YAHHHHHHH!" Buu yelled, and began firing rapid-fire ki blasts at Alexia. Alexia shrieked as they exploded on her body, blowing open more holes.

Celeste stirred, slowly getting to her knees, her arms down on the ground and her head lowered as if she was bowing. She choked and more blood spilled forth from her mouth.

"I'm not worthless…" Celeste hissed, incredible anger in her voice.

"Guys! I think she lost her ability the make those shields when she mutated!"

"I HAVEN'T LOST THE ABILITY TO DO THIS!" Alicia screamed, spraying more red ichor around the room. Everyone flew away from the flames, and then Alicia raised herself up as more ants poured from her body, heading towards Buu at incredible speed. Buu began firing ki blasts at them.

"You're just like them. You think that you're superior because of your body and mind, and you think that you can just do whatever you want to anybody…" Celeste hissed as she tried to get to her feet.

Yamcha angled up towards the ceiling, as Alexia lashed her limbs at Pan and Bra. Bra went SSJ and dodged away easily, and Pan did pretty well for herself. Yamcha held up his fist.

"WOLF WIND!" Yamcha yelled, and rocketed down from the ceiling with his punch. Alexia looked up and screamed as Yamcha slammed his fist across her face, nearly caving it in.

"Just like them…all those bastards…the bitches…they tried to destroy me…but they won't…they won't…" Celeste said as she got to her feet, whipping out her daggers.

"PAN! BRA! NOW!' Yamcha yelled, as Alexia reeled from his blow.

"FINAL FLASH!" Bra screamed, slamming her hands together and firing the beam of golden energy.

"KAMEHAMEHA!" Pan screamed as she fired her family's attack.

The two beams spiraled in and struck Alicia dead center in her lower body. She wailed as the power burned through her.

And then more blood burst out from the part of her that connected her upper body to her lower body and then Alexia tore herself off the bulk as it exploded, blowing polluted blood and writhing black flesh everywhere. The room with with a buzzing as Alicia flew up on her six wings, a long spine-like tail trailing from where she had pulled herself from her ruined body.

"I am not so easily destroyed! NOW FRY!" Alexia screamed as she began spitting her toxin and flammible ichor everywhere. The Z Warriors dodged and counterattacked with ki, but their constant need to move kept them from getting a bead on Alexia.

Black energy began crackling on Celeste's daggers, spreading down her arms.

"I am not your toy, your bitch, the thing you play with. I am the Raven Haired Ripper. I am the Angel of Annihalation. I was taught by the killer of those with damned souls. You soul is as stained and mutated as your body. I must consign it to the deepest of hells. For their sake…AND MINE!"  
And then Celeste thrust up her arms as a surge of black power exploded from her arms, spreading up and out like a pair of wings. Raven's wings.

Celeste's whole body surged with the black power as her hair was tossed around like the darkness of night itself.

All the Z Warriors stopped and stared.

"Ultimate Technique…" Celeste whispered.

Alexia turned in mid-air as a strange shape emerged between the wings. It almost looked like a raven's head. It seemed to shriek with rage and defiance.

"WHAT?"

"BITTER END!" Celeste screamed.

And then Celeste slashed her daggers out at Alexia and a huge projectile flew from her body, at least five times as big as her. For a moment, it seemed to take the shape of a bird, a raven, before it began solely destructive black power brought to existence by the rage of a ruined soul.

It struck Alexia, piercing into her. Bright black light poured from within Alexia.

"NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! AAAAAAIIIIIIAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Alexia screamed, and then her body seemed to bulge out and then it exploded into a cloud of blood. Burning bits of Alexia rained down on the Z Warriors, and then the room was still.

Everyone looked at Celeste as she lowered her daggers, breathing heavily.

"You did it!" Buu said with joy.

Celeste grinned grimly.

"Was there ever any doubt?"

Diana stood fast as Tormentor approached, his terrible grin never failing.

"Go…run Diana! Leave us! Don't die for our sake!" Goten gasped.

"Never. I will not forsake you. God has never forsaken us, and as his vessal, neither will I."

"God is dead. I killed him." Tormentor growled, in his idea of a taunt. He stepped over the prone body of William as he headed towards Diana, his axe slowly turning in his hands.

Diana stared, coming to a decision. It was a lesser of two evils, but she didn't have any choice. She thrust her staff down and began to whisper in Latin.

"Pathetic woman. Your soldiers failed miserably, what makes you think you can do anything?" Tormentor mocked.

"Maybe not…but I must believe!"

"Crazy woman…she must have a death wish…" Vegeta whispered, raging but unable to show it. He never thought his fate would be to be murdered while an invalid. It was not honourable.

But Tormentor didn't care, as he advanced on Diana, curious on what she was doing.

A slight breeze began whispering around Diana as she continued her prayers.

"What is she DOING?" Goten asked.

"It does not matter, child. Her fate, and yours, are SEALED!" Tormentor roared.

The sword smashed against the back of Tormentor's head. It didn't hurt him, but it was enough to get his attention. Tormentor turned, growling.

William stood, his sword in his bloody hands.

"Thine attack was not good enough, creature. Until my heart stops and my lungs no longer draw breath, I will fight thee and all thy spawn!"

"Blasphemous creature, hunting the souls of the weak and fallen…your evil will not be tolerated any more…my god is a kind god, but you have earned his wrath…" Diana whispered as she raised her staff up.

"You wish to DIE AGAIN, MORTAL MAN!?!?!? VERY WELL!" Tormentor bellowed, raising his axe above his head, preparing to chop William in half.

"DEMONSPAWN!" Diana suddenly screamed, and Tormentor turned his head as Diana suddenly glowed with a soft white light. "I CAST THEE OUT!"

And then Diana thrust the staff fully above her head, and a beam of white light shot up into the dark night sky.

"UNFORGIVEN!"

And then it came down, the darkness suddenly seeming to part as the blast fired down to earth, like a bolt of holy lightning. Whether it came from Diana, or if it was somehow fired by her believed messiah, no one could know. The questions of faith and religion were cast aside as the huge blast zapped down at Tormentor.

It struck his axe, and Tormentor roared as it burned down the axe and enveloped him, piercing and burning through every part of him. His bellow suddenly turned from rage to pain as he was lifted up, the power still ripping through him. Perhaps no blade could cut him, and no fire could burn him, but this was beyond both, a power that seemed almost sacred.

Everyone stared in disbelief, and then Tormentor was thrown backwards, roaring the whole time. He struck a cliff as the power seemingly slammed him into it, and then the rock collasped as if he was being buried. The whole ground shook.

Then the bolt vanished, and Diana slumped over, breathing heavily. Tormentor was gone. All that was left was his smoking axe, which lay, stuck blade first in the ground where he had dropped it, like a makeshift tombstone.

"Well done Diana." William said.

"Thank…you…William." Diana gasped. "I thought…you were dead."

"Had his axe gone another inch, I would be. Instead, I have merely a flesh wound…a very bloody and painful flesh wound, but I can manage."

Trunks slowly got up, looking at where Tormentor had been buried. He kept waiting for Tormentor to rise back up.

But it didn't happen, and Trunks slowly relaxed, heading over to where Diana was.

"D.R.I.P." Paul said as he looked at where Tormentor had been cast.

"Drip? That's the best you can come up with?" Rod said.

"No you moron! I wasn't spelling Drip! I was saying Don't Rest In Peace!"  
"Oh. Well, I suppose he was a drip…"

"Dammit Rod, just fight and leave the insults to us!"

"You saved us Diana…us and them…" Trunks said, trying to help the woman as she leaned on her staff.

"No…I failed them…" Diana whispered. Trunks's eyebrow arched.

"What?"

Diana looked up, her eyes filled with sorrow.

"To destroy that monster…I had to use my Ultimate Technique. I used up all my power for it. I'm not like my son and his friends…I'm old and growing weak…I don't have anything left to heal them with."

Trunks felt sick.

"I'm sorry Trunks…in saving them I have doomed them…it was the lesser of two evils…better they die like this then what that creature would have done to them…please…forgive me…"

"Hey Buffy, here's your sword." Victoria said, handing Buffy back the sword she had stolen from Spike.

"Thanks. I was wondering where it had got off to."

"Is it bad?" Ash said as Christine examined Krillian.

"Yeah…he surely pierced through some intestine…I can fix the holes and stop the bleeding but I don't know about infection…" Christine said. The battle had tired her, but she couldn't just let Krillian die.

"Where's…Eighteen…?" Krillian gasped as Christine placed her hand on his wound and concentrated on knitting the tissues back together.

"I'm here sweetie." Eighteen said, coming up and kneeling next to her husband.

"Are…you ok?"

"I'll live." Eighteen said.

"Ahhhhh…I think I got shrapnal in my third eye…" Tien groaned, rubbing his head.

**__**

You mean that thing is REAL?

"Well yeah…what did you think it was?"

**__**

I figured it was a tragic superglue accident that happened on the same night that Chaozu had the accident with the paint cans!

"HEY!" Tien and Chaozu both said at once.

**__**

Ok, I was wrong! Sue me! All you'll get is a bunch of crappy fics by some guy named nahognos!

"Who?" Tien said.

"Enough Soulfire. Ok…" Ash said, looking around at his troops. "My wife has about had it. She can't heal any more without risking injury to herself…that means we have to find Buu. I will assume you people can find his ki?"

"On it." Chaozu said, closing his eyes.

"Krillian, do you think you can stand…"

"I don't know…I feel numb in most of my lower body."

"I'll carry him." Eighteen said.

"Ok. Tien, can you help Seventeen?"

"I don't need help. I'll fly." Seventeen said from his new spot where people had carried him.

"Can you focus through the pain to do that?"

"Yeah…ARRRGGGHHH!" Seventeen screamed as he tried to float up.

"Tien, you better carry him."

"I'll do it."

"I got it." Chaozu said.

"Ok guys….anything else?"

There was a chorus of no's.

"Good. Ok, let's get going."

"Hey, what about Adam?" Brigh asked.

"Leave him to rot." Buffy replied, her voice cold.

"I couldn't have put it better myself." Ash said, and moved out, heading for the lone door Adam had guarded.

"Mr. Satan!" Buu cried as he came to where his friend lay, prone and unmoving. Buu didn't know how to take a pulse, and it was doubtful he would have done so even if he knew. Instead, he touched his forelock to Mr. Satan's wound.

Mr. Satan was still.

Then he began to stir as his wound closed, and his eyes fluttered open to see Buu's smiling face.

"Mr. Satan! You're alright!" Buu said, hugging his best friend.

"Yes…what happened? Who…?"

"It was Celeste, Mr. Satan. You should have seen it, it was so cool! Celeste made this big bird come out of her, and it blew up that bitch like a ballon! She's all over the room! It was so neat!"

"Neat? It doesn't look neat…" Mr. Satan joked, looking at the mess of Alexia's blood and flesh all over the room. The various Z Warriors and Legacy members, healed by Buu, were making sure Alexia didn't try anything else by burning every scrap of flesh they could find.

Except Celeste, who stood leaning against the corner, her eyes staring off in the distance, ignoring the blood that still dripped from her mouth. Chastity noticed her and came over.

"Are you ok?"

"Yes." Celeste said, and coughed. More blood spilled from her mouth.

"You're lying. You shouldn't have used so much power after you took such a blow. You could have killed yourself."

"I'm still alive. And she's not. That's good enough for me."

Chastity stared.

"There's too much Erik in you…I don't know whether to like or hate it." Chastity said.

"Thanks for the compliment." Celeste replied.

"Grandpa!" Pan suddenly said, and Mr. Satan turned to the voice. But Pan wasn't approaching him, she was banging on the door that Alexia had guarded. He remembered immediately, Pan had sensed his daughter's ki in there.

"Dammit! DAMMIT!" Pan cursed, banging on the metal door, leaving several fist sized dents in it. She stepped back and thrust her hands to her side.

"KAMEHAME…"

"Wait wait wait! If you do that you could blast the door into the room and hurt someone. Allow me." Chastity said, grabbing Pan before she could fire the attack. Raising her hands, the door began to glow red.

"Angie, some ice please?"

"Will do." Angie said, and waved her hand. The door suddenly and rapidly began to cool off, and a series of creaking and cracking noises emerged from it.

"And finally…" Lindsay said, and punched the door. It shattered like glass.

"Whoa." Yamcha said, sounding very much like a certain actor.

"Eh, just some knowledge of how metal reacts. Not that hard." Chastity said as Pan flew through the door.

"Grandpa! Momma?" Pan said, looking around the room. Once, Vagane had stood in this room, watching with joy as horrific things occurred. But he wasn't here now.

But Pan quickly saw it. Even though the glass and green liquid distorted it, she knew her mother.

"MOM!"

Everyone else was heading in after Pan as Pan smashed the tube with her fist, heedless of the pain of the injury. The liquid gushed out, pooling on the floor, and carrying out the limp body of Videl.

"MOM! MOM!" Pan cried as she knelt by her mother.

"Videl!" Mr. Satan said, running to his daughter's side. He despaired, seeing the long stitch across his daughter's stomach.

Then Videl stirred, making a groaning noise.

"Mom? Mom?" Pan squeeked.

"Videl…?"

Videl's eyes fluttered open. They were bloodshot and milky, with a great look of haunting.

"…….Pan?"

"OH MOMMA!" Pan cried, hugging her mother. Mr. Satan did likewise.

"Dad…what…"

"It's ok Videl. We've found you. You are safe now. I'm just so glad you're alive." Mr. Satan said. Buu stood over them, everyone else looking on. Buu wasn't sure whether he should smile or cry.

"Oh Dad…I couldn't stop him…he…oh kami…kami WHY?" Videl suddenly wailed, bursting into tears. Pan and Mr. Satan tried to comfort her, but she was utterly hysterical, weeping, shaking, and holding onto her father and daughter, refusing to let go.

__

What did that son of a bitch do to her…I'll KILL HIM! KILL HIM! Mr. Satan thought murderously.

"Dear god…what happened here?" Angie said.

"I suspect we'll find out." Celeste said as she entered the room, lagging behind. She was limping, but everyone's focus was on Videl, and hence no one noticed. "What about the other tubes…?"

"Right!' Bra said, and heading over to the other tube that had a green liquid floating in it, she smashed it. Marron's limp body fell out, and Bra caught her, laying her down carefully as Celeste looked over her.

"She doesn't appear to have any injuries…but it looks like she's had some kind of surgery lately…" Celeste said, looking at the long scar down Marron's stomach. Videl shared the same scar.

The other Z Warriors and Legacy members were looking at the other tubes, which were made of steel and had no entry ports. They pondered on how to open them. Yamcha walked around, looking for an opening.

And he saw it.

"Oh my kami…guys…oh kami oh kami oh kami…Goku…"

Her grandfather's name caused Pan's head to snap up, and she freed herself from her hysterical mother, letting her clutch onto Mr. Satan as she ran to where Yamcha was standing.

They hadn't been able to see it because Goku was no longer in a tube. Once Vagane was done, he had withdrawn the tube and left. Goku had managed to crawl a short distance away, which had concealed him partly behind Videl's tube. But Pan saw him now.

She nearly wet herself in shock.

"Oh kami…grandpa…" Pan whispered in utter horror.

Goku's proud figure, once magnificently muscled and strong, a testiment to his strength and courage, was gone. His muscles were shriveled and atrophied, as if they had never been used. His limbs, on which shrivaled muscles barely seemed able to stay on, were nearly as thin as a famine victim's was. His hair was limp and lifeloss, the glossy black now unable to stay in its usual shape.

He was a wasted wreck.

"Pan…" Goku somehow managed to whisper, and this final thing drove it home to Pan. This wasn't the kind tone she knew, the serious tone of her grandfather in battle, or even the evil tone he had had while Vagane had had control of him. The tone seemed barely audible, as weak and feeble as Goku looked now.

"Grandpa…" Pan said, falling to her knees, her feet not letting her stand any longer. One by one, everyone went over to see what Pan had seen. All were as horrified as her.

"Pan…I'm sorry…I couldn't protect you…I hurt you…and now I have failed you completely. This is all my fault…please…forgive me…" Goku whispered. His state meant nothing to him. All he could think of was trying to repay the great crimes Vagane had made him commit. He had tried to battle Vagane…but Vagane had known his move…and Goku had lost far more then he had ever lost before.

"Grandpa…no…what did…he do…?" Pan whispered.

"I'm sorry…I failed you…I'm sorry…" Goku whispered, a slight tear leaking down his cheek.

Pan slowly stood up, her hands clenching into fists, as Vagane's mocking visage came into her mind.

"You…inhuman…YOU DID THIS! I'LL KILL YOU! **_I'LL KILL YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"_**

Golden power blasted up around Pan and flowed into her hair, and everyone stood back as it flared up, throwing her bandanna off, and began the same crackling gold. Pan's quarter saiya-jin blood made the state of SSJ more difficult for her to obtain then the others, who were halfbreeds. But Vagane had finally pushed her to it.

Despite his torment, physical, and mental, Goku smiled.

"My granddaughter's a Super Saiya-jin…if I am to die now…I will die feeling whole…if only wishing I could have done more…"

"Don't talk that way grandpa. What happened to you? Buu, heal him!"

"No Buu…save your strength…" Goku whispered. "This is…not an injury. It is…beyond an injury. I think…it may be permanent…no matter what you do."

Pan stared. But only for a moment.

"GRAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!" Pan screamed, as more golden power exploded around her. First her mother, and then her grandfather…she would have Vagane's blood, or die trying!

Chaozu blinked, almost recoiling as the power slashed through his mind.

"Chaozu! What's going on?"

"What a power…so strong…so angry…"

"What's going on? Is it a fight?" Erik said.

"No…it seems familiar…" Chaozu said.

"It's the ki releashed when someone with Saiyan blood in them goes to the next level, that of the Super Saiya-jin." Krillian said in great pain.

"You can sense that?" Buffy said.

"Hey…I was the one who first triggered it." Krillian replied.

"Whatever it is, I've got a bead on it. Let's go!" Chaozu said, and everyone took off after the little mime-like man.

Vagane was staring at the monitors in disbelief. It couldn't have happened. It just couldn't have.

Yet his camera told no lies. Alexia had just been destroyed.

"Alexia…it can't be…" Vagane said, feeling the closest thing to sorrow he could feel. Of all the ones he had tricked or chosen to help him…why had it had to be her?

Vagane clenched his fist, his knuckles popping.

"Do not worry, Alexia. My ascension is nigh. And once I have achieved my proper position, the rules of life and death will mean nothing to me! I shall bring you back, and you and I shall work to create perfect life. I promise." Vagane hissed, glaring at Celeste. "And you will pay, bitch. In blood!"

Vagane turned away from the monitors, furiously typing keys as if he was tryingt to take out his anger on them. A mike slid up and around his head.

"Attention all Valkyries. Proceed at once to the Kingdom. I repeat, at once! Be fully armed and ready. Fail me and what will happen is beyond anything my foes could do to you!" Vagane snapped, and slid the mike back in. He began turning again.

Then the door slid open. Vagane turned toward it immediately, jamming his finger down to bring out his main cannon. He had just given a direct order to his Valkyries and none of them would disobey it. Could one of his foes have made it here without him noticing? Impossible, he would have…

Then Spike strolled into the room, his new leather trenchcoat swirling around.

"Hello to you too, mate. No wonder your parties have so few people. You try and fry anyone who gets in the door."

"William. You're alive. I am surprised." Vagane said, pressing a button to put away his cannon.

"Yep! I'll alive…well, sort of." Spike said, motioning to himself in a way that said "I'm a vampire." Vagane cocked his head. So the vampire had not been destroyed. Perhaps he was tougher then he expected, and therefore still had some use.

"Well, I must admit William, I am impressed…"

Spike sighed.

"Look mate, do I have to get naked for you to remember my name? It's SPIKE, from Sunnydale!"

"IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOUR NAME IS! Come now, we must be going." Vagane said, turning around. Spike stared at the back of his hoverchair, feeling rather pissed. But he wasn't going to do anything until he got his godhood.

"Are those two almost ready?"

"Yes…very soon. They will be two pieces of the puzzle…and I will soon have the third." _And I'll take even more saitisfaction in getting it now._ Vagane thought angrily.

"Great, and how are you getting the third? Is it being Fed-Exed?"

"You shall see, Spike."

"Where are we going?"

"The Kingdom."

"The what? The where?"

"Oh yes, you're the only one I didn't tell. I didn't think you'd care."

"And why would you assume that?"

"Might I ask why you not only gave that nickname of yours, but also the town you were living in?"

"I dunno. It seemed oddly appropriate…"

Yamcha was feeling worthless again, and this time there was pretty much nothing that he could do about it. Pulling his weight in the previous battle should have made him feel good, but the horror of what had been done to Goku had long since outweighed it.

Hence, Yamcha was stalking around the room. Videl was still weeping, but she was running out of the steam. Bra and Angie were looking after Marron, who still hadn't woken up. Angie and Lindsay were pondering how to get the other steel test tubes open, Buu was trying to comfort Pan, who was still next to Goku's wasted body and going back and forth between crying and raging as she tried to decide what to do. Celeste wasn't doing much of anything.

So Yamcha stalked around the room, looking at the computers, the equipment, the broken test tubes, the computers again, the safe…

The safe?

Yamcha turned and headed towards the large safe door set in the wall. It was strange he hadn't noticed it before.

He tried to open it.

"Enter password please." Said a keypad as it slid out.

Yamcha stared at it, then entered some digits.

"Incorrect. Enter password please."

Yamcha tried VAGANE.

"Incorrect."

FAILURE.

"Incorrect."

IAMGOD.

"Incorrect."

"Damn, I was sure I had it that time…wait a minute…" Yamcha said, remembering Vagane's insane speeches. Slowly, he typed in CREATOR.

The safe door popped open. Yamcha made various gestures of success and open it to find a large box. It was also locked.

Yamcha decided to just cut to the chase and broke the lock off, opening the box.

His eyes widened in joy.

"GUYS! LOOK!" Yamcha crowed, and nearly everyone turned to him as Yamcha held up twin bags.

"Senzu beans! I found Vagane's hiding place!"

"All right Yamcha! Pass some out!" Bra said, feeling a bit better despite the situation. Yamcha began tossing the beans to everyone.

"What is this?" Celeste said, staring at hers.

"It's a senzu bean! Eat it, it'll restore your strength." Bra said. Celeste looked down at the bean again, then popped it into her mouth.

"Yuck! It tastes terrible!" Lindsay complained, but ate her bean anyway.

Celeste felt a slight jolt through her whole body, and then she felt much better, the pain and exhaustion from her previous fights fading away.

They gave one to Videl and Marron too, although Marron still didn't wake up. Pan insisted Goku take one, but as Goku said, it didn't do anything.

"What kind of…" Pan said in despair.

Then part of the wall slid open, and everyone jumped to their feet, expecting an attack.

Then Erik stepped through the wall, looking around.

"Rather pathetic in that regard Vagane."

"ERIK!" Celeste said, running over and nearly leaping into Erik's arms. Erik was shocked by the hug, but his shock faded.

"You ok Celeste?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Are you?"

"Me, mostly…" Erik said as his friends and allies began streaming in after after. There was a chorus of reunions. Krillian and Eighteen crowded around their daughter, but she still wouldn't wake up.

**__**

We're here! We're queer! We…wait a minute, no. Maybe Tien or Chaozu should be holding me if I want to chant that.

"HEY!" Tien and Chaozu protested.

**__**

Joking! Joking!

"Oh dear god…" Erik said as he finally saw Goku. The reunions turned to collective shock as the damaged body of Goku was revealed.

"My kami…Goku…what happened…?" Krillian asked, looking up from Marron.

Erik examined Goku, his look growing more sour, bitter, and angrier by the second.

"What happened…?" Pan asked.

Erik took a while to answer.

"I think…Vagane stole everything. It's like how your Dr. Gero could suck power from others when he was an android. But this…Vagane didn't just take his power. He took EVERYTHING. His life, his health, the very essence of his saiya-jin blood and power. He sucked Goku dry of his very self."

The air was silent.

"How do we help him?" Pan said.

"I don't know…all I can think of is that we have to get his essense, his power back…but I have no idea where it went or what happened to it. It may be gone forever."

"No…" Goku whispered. "Vagane is planning something…something terrible…you must stop him. Don't bother with me…"

"No Goku. This is my fault. Vagane knew about this world and your power because of me, and because of me he came here and did this to you, and everything else to everyone else. I can't let you go. I must claim your vengeance."

"So what do we do now?" Buffy asked.

"Regroup, get ready." Erik said.

"Hey, where's Brigh?" Lindsay asked, noticing the Legacy's thief was missing. "Is he…?"

"No. I sent him off on a scouting mission. He'll be along soon. Chaozu."

"Yes?"

"You can sense ki the best of us, thanks to your highly developed mental talents. Take these Senzu beans and get them back to the wounded. I trust they will heal them."

"I don't think there's anything they can't heal…nothing I've seen anyway." Krillian said.

"Good. Go Chaozu. Hurry. Blast through the walls if you have to. Just go. And watch out for traps."

"Gotcha Erik." Chaozu said. Taking the back, he turned and flew out of the room, heading upward as he hunted for the kis of his wounded friends.

"The rest of us will stay here until Brigh reports back. Is that a problem?"

Another chorus of no's.

"Good. Home stretch people. We've got Vagane on the ropes." Erik lied. In truth Vagane surely still controlled the gameboard, loss of Goku or not. All he could do was wait for Vagane's move and hope he had a proper counter move. Or god help them all.

"Someone help us open this thing!" Lindsay said, gesturing at the steel test tube.

"I'm on it." Krillian said, forming a small Kienzen. He threw it and it slashed down and then up at an angle, cutting open the steel like paper. It flew back to Krillian's hand and he dispersed it as his wife and brother in law pried open the steel.

"What the heck is this?" Seventeen said, looking at the dark purple crystal that had been in the test tube. Eighteen stared.

"My sensors says someone is in it!"

Krillian flew forward , and cocking back his arm, he carefully, yet powerfully, smashed the crystal. It cracked open and then shattered, filling the tube with purple smoke. Krillian, Eighteen, and Seventeen reared back, coughing.

Then another cough joined theirs, and then Dende stumbled out of the crystal, his outfit tore and his eyes glazed.

"What's…what's going on?"

"DENDE!"

The next few minutes were filled with conversation as people filled other people in on what had happened to them, whether in the past few days or the past hour. With the combination of Buu and Dende's healing talents, and the Senzu Beans, everyone was quickly back on their feet and ready to go.

Erik stood away, not engaging in the conversation. The other steel tube was quickly opened to reveal the crystal prison of Tring. Once he was freed, more explanations took place. Erik continued to be distant, even to Celeste.

"That wasn't very smart."

Erik looked at Buffy, who had come up on his side.

"What?"

"The way you attacked Adam. It was crazy and disjointed. If Adam had still had his bone stake he could have speared you right through the heart, or blasted you with that cannon Vagane gave him."

"He didn't. He got blasted instead. By you. Good job there."

"That isn't the point. Erik, maybe I can't understand what you're going through, but that was still stupid! Weren't you afraid? Do you ever let yourself feel fear?"

"No."

"Gee, maybe you can't feel fear at all!" Buffy said in a tone that was heavily sarcastic.

"You're accurate there."

"Oh, so you don't feel fear?"

"No."

"Oh don't make me laugh! This ain't Terminator 2, and you ain't _AR-nuld!_ You're not a machine!Yeah, you might have a mechanical arm that has more trinkets in it then the Swiss army, and a bunch of super advanced computers that took people eons to build in your brain, and cybernetics running through your whole body, and for all I know you have a microwave stuck up your nose, IT DOESN'T MATTER! You're human! You're allowed to feel! Don't think that feelings will weaken you and not let you claim your revenge."

"Oh really? Well, I wasn't the one who ran off and changed my name and hid away from my friends and family when I had to kill my boyfriend who was a good vampire but he turned evil again and then you had to kill him by sending him to hell and just before you did he turned good again." Erik said in one long sentence.

Buffy stopped cold, and some anger came into her face.

"How did you know that?"

"You think some mind-reading isn't beyond me?"

Buffy gaped, feeling violated. She had tried to help Erik, and in return he had pulled a very personel and tragic event in her life from her mind and used it against her to make her leave him alone. 

It was clear he was intent on pushing everyone away. She should have known better. People like him always followed the same path.

Well, maybe he didn't want to leave it, and she couldn't get him to change it, but before she left, she was going to give him a big push.

"Fine. Be that way. But let me tell you something Erik. Your coldness may get you your revenge…but that won't end your pain. It won't end until you open up. And as long as you refuse to, you'll hurt her far worse then you ever could me." Buffy said, pointing at Celeste. Then she turned and left.

It was a pity, for she missed the shocked look that came into Erik's eye. He looked after Buffy, and then at Celeste.

__

She does look sad…and confused…

Erik suddenly found himself walking towards Celeste. He reached her, and she looked at him.

"Erik?"

"Celeste…I…well…I…" Erik said, feeling uncommonly embarrassed.

"Yes?"

__

I can't.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, that Senzu bean fixed me right up. I'm ready to go."

"Good." Erik said, and started to turn away.

Then he turned back.

"Celeste, when this is over, I want to talk to you about something, ok?"

"Ok." Celeste replied. Erik was trying to think of something else to say when the wall opened again. Omce more everyone got ready to fight, but it was just Brigh.

"Brigh! What did you find? All we found in this hallway was this room." Ash said. Brigh blinked.

"The hallways Erik sent him to investigate…it was just a long stretch of metal that ended at one thing. But it's big."

"What is it?" Erik asked.

"Like I said, it's big. It's a door. A VERY big door."

"What…no…c'mon Diana! You can't just give up…rest a bit! You'll feel better and then you can…" Trunks babbled in despair.

"Trunks, I am not a fighter, I use offense techniques very little. Not only did I have to use one, I used my most powerful one. It could be hours before I'm fresh enough to help any of these poor souls…and they need help now. I'm sorry…" Diana said, clearly upset.

"Trunks, badgering her won't give her her power back." Paul said.

"I know! But we can't just stand here! We have to do something!" Trunks said.

"We can pray." Diana said. Trunks resisted the urge to deliver a stinging retort, but Diana had already began to mutter to herself.

"And what do we pray for?" Trunks finally said.

"How about a miracle?" Vegeta whispered.

And then there was a yell as Chaozu dropped out of the sky. Everyone whirled to face the little man.

"Dammit, I may be crippled but I know I am not slurring my nouns! I said a miracle, not a mime!" Vegeta raged.

"Trunks! I finally found you! Yamcha found Senzu beans!"

"Senzus? QUICK, GIVE THEM TO ME!" Trunks yelled. Chaozu reacted, tossing Trunks the bag. Trunks nearly ripped it open, pulling out the small beans. He tossed one to Goten, who caught it and munched it down.

"Ah! YES! I'M BACK!" Goten crowed.

"Yeah, NOW FIX MY BACK!" Vegeta tried to yell, but all that came out was a whisper. 

"Here father." Trunks said, pulling out a senzu and pushing it down his father's throat with his fingers. Vegeta jerked, and then flipped to his feet.

"Wow. That shit works." Paul said, as Trunks tossed beans to the Legacy members. Goten took another and began to work on his brother, praying that it would work.

The bean went down, Gohan's body jerked, and then his eyes opened.

"Uhhhhh…what happened?"

"Bro! You're ok!" Goten said.

"From the taste in my mouth, you just gave me a senzu…wait a minute, you found the Senzus?"

"Yeah!" Chaozu said. "Hey, Piccolo!"

"What? Piccolo!" Gohan said, crawling over to the body of his alien best friend. "Trunks!"

Trunks tossed a Senzu bean, and Gohan gave it to Piccolo. Piccolo shuddered and then sat up, his ears twitching.

"What hit me…am I alive?" Piccolo muttered, shaking his head. He looked around.

Chaozu gave a rapid explanation.

"Marron?" Goten said.

"Videl?" Gohan echoed.

"Kakarott?" Vegeta said. "He's still alive! Let me at him!"

"Vegeta wait, something happened…!"

"Hey look!"

Everyone looked up to see a small dot in the distance, but it quickly grew into a familiar figure.

"Ubuu! You're alive!" Gohan said.

"Amazing…he took that blow with no power and he lives. He truly is Kakarott's student." Vegeta said

"Yeah, I'm alive…but I wish I was dead…I feel like every bone in my body is broken…"Ubuu said painfully, as he floated gingerly down.

"It probably is, you weak baka." Vegeta muttered.

"Here!" Goten said, tossing Ubuu a Senzu Bean. Ubuu caught it in his mouth, chewed and swallowed.

"Ah! Much better. What happened?"

Chaozu began another rapid fire explanation, but Vegeta cut him off.

"Shut up you cancer patient! I have stood around long enough. I am back and stronger then ever! It is time for my revenge! VAGANE! PREPARE TO BOW TO THE PRINCE OF THE SAIYA-JINS!" Vegeta roared, and flew off.

"Wait, you don't know where they are…!" Chaozu yelled after Vegeta, but it was hopeless.

"Arrogant bastard, ain't he?" Paul muttered.

"Yep, and we've all come to love it. Come on guys, we have to help!" Goten said. "Climb aboard! Chaozu, you lead the way!"

"Will do."

The Z Warriors each grabbed a Legacy member and flew off after Chaozu.

"Hey Ubuu, a question." Paul asked.

"What?"

"You said every bone in your body was broken?"

"It certainly felt like it."

"Then wouldn't your jaw be broken too? You chewed that bean well."

"Argh! Fine, ALMOST every bone in my body was broken, you nitpicker…" Ubuu half laughed as he flew off after the others with Paul.

The area was silent.

Then rocks burst up and apart, and Tormentor emerged with a growl. Clutching the large burn on his chest, he pulled himself up and out of the rocks, following the Z Warriors and yet not following them, snatching up his axe along the way.

In one of the lower catacombs of Vagane's lab, a finger twitched, a leg jerked, and then the light returned as Adam opened up his right eye.

"Damn, that is a big door." Ash said, looking at the huge doors in front of him.

And they were huge, stretching up past thirty feet, and fifty or so feet wide. It looked to be made of an even tougher metal then the rest of the base.

"I found it this way. Strange there's no guards." Brigh said.

"Good for us." Buffy said, looking around.

Everyone was there. Erik had not wanted to split up the group again, for he didn't want Vagane trying the divide and conquer strategy again. Videl had come, her terrible grief temporarily brought under control, although she still clutched at her father like a little girl. Marron was being carried by Yamcha, who had volounteered, and Goku had been carefully lifted and brought to the door. His now terrible vunerability had made Erik not want for him to come, but he had insisted. He didn't want the group to break up either. He lay in a corner, shadowed protectively by Tien, Krillian and Pan.

Erik wasn't one for strategy at this point in the game, which is probably why he just walked up to the door and tried to punch it.

"YEOOOWWW!" Erik yelled as he was shot backwards with a crackling noise. Everyone gasped as he hit the wall and slid down, jerking a bit.

"The damn door's electrified." Erik cursed.

"Are you ok Erik…?" Celeste and Christine asked at the same time.

"I'm fine." Erik growled, glowering at the door. He sniffed and then he snarled, his teeth baring away from his lips.

"Vagane. He's in there. I can smell his disgusting odor. THIS DAMN DOOR WON'T STOP ME!" Erik screamed, charging at the door again. The same thing happened, except this time Erik tried to hold on and only got an even greater shock before he was tossed backwards. He crashed to the ground, smoking.

"Erik! Stop it!" Celeste said.

"You're just hurting yourself!" Ash said. Celeste, Christine, and Chastity all went to check on Erik as everyone else tried to figure out how to get in.

"Hey guys, here's a panel!" Victoria said. Everyone crowded around Victoria save Erik and his three "helper females".

"Great. Peachy keen." Brigh said, looking at the panel's computer key board, which had a whole selection of both letters and numbers.

"Lemme try. I figured this out once." Yamcha said, going up the panel. He typed in several keys and was rewarded with an electric shock.

"Dammit." Yamcha said. He tried CREATOR again and just got another shock.

**__**

Hey Yamcha, love the new do!

"SHUT UP!" Everyone yelled at the Soulfire. The sword fell silent.

"Dammit. This is bad. I have no idea how long the password could be or what kind of characters could be in it…but I dated Bulma for years. She taught me a few things about computers." Yamcha said, as he yanked away the covering around the panel and proceeded to fiddle with wires around it.

"Shit, this stuff is complex…" Yamcha cursed.

**__**

Cut the red one! THE RED ONE!

"SHUT UP! I'M HACKING A SYSTEM, NOT DISABLING A BOMB!" Yamcha yelled, as he connected more wires.

"Ok…lemme see…" Yamcha said as he stood up, the password screen replaced by a rapidly flashing montage of letters. He stared at for a few minutes as he tapped keys, and then he cursed.

"Shit!"

"What?" Ash said.

"Vagane was smart. I can't narrow down or search for any files that could relate to where the password is stored. Hence, the only way I'm going to find the password is if I could through every single file and line of computer code in Vagane's system!"

"How many files is that?"

"Bout 75 billion." Yamcha said in a deadpan "It's impossible" voice.

"Wonderful…great. Now what do we do?" Ash said.

Erik, although he gave no indication that he was listening, was. Slowly, he began to raise himself up as his three female friends fussed over him.

"I have no idea…but I did find something interesting…nearly 50 billion of those files is in one program…I couldn't identify it but it looked like…"  
"ARRRGGGHHHHHH!" Erik suddenly screamed.

Then he did three things.

First, he pushed the girls away. They went away with cries of surprise and shock.

Second, he snapped his claws out.

And third, he leapt skyward, right at the door, everyone's eyes on him, red energy exploding on his claws.

He reached the apex of the door and slashed his hand forward, the claws piercing into the metal.

The electricity began to course through him, but this time Erik's wouldn't let go as he began pushing downward. Everyone gaped at Erik as he took the tremendous pain as he slid down the door, his metal claws tearing open the metal with a terrible mettalic scream.

"Erik! STOP!"

"Never…I won't…let him…hide…ANY MORE!" Erik yelled as he continued to slid down the door, cutting it open right down the middle. Everyone stared as Erik finally reached the body, landing on his feet, his body smoking and jerking. It had been utterly agonizing and draining.

Erik stared at the door.

And then with another scream, he brought his metal fist backwards and slammed it back into the door.

One of the gigantic doors was literally torn off its hinges, and the other slammed inward and smashed into the wall behind it, hanging off the wall. It was an amazing feat of strength, even for Erik.

Erik fell to his knees, breathing agonzingly.

"Erik!" Celeste and Christine said as they ran forward. "That was so bloody stupid!"

"It got the door open." Erik gasped, and then fell forward as he passed out from the sheer effort he had used to open the door. Everyone gathered around him.

"Is he…?" Buffy said in dread.

"No…but he should be, the damn fool…what was he thinking…" Christine said.

"Look." Ash suddenly said, and Christine looked up. Everyone was looking too.

The door opened up into a room that was utterly mammoth. It seemed to stretch on for miles. Most of the Z Warriors realized they had seen this section from the outside. They just hadn't assumed it was one huge room.

But it was, at it went off into the distance, a huge field of metal, for the room was utterly empty. All there was was the metal floor and the metal walls that surrounded the huge room.

"What is this place?" Chastity said.

"Dear me." Dende said, looking around.

"What could this room possibly serve?" Ash said.

**__**

I dunno. Maybe Vagane wanted to have a party for King Kong and a good many Japanese movie monsters?

"Why hello! Good to see you could make it!"

Everyone stiffened at the voice. They all knew it, and they were all drawn to it.

And then Vagane appeared off in the distance, a few hundred feet away, rising up on a metal platform out of the ground. The platform he was on was basically a glorified metal block, but it served its purpose.

Vagane's presense was not all that shocking. Neither were the two Valkyries beside him and the one behind him.

His other companions were another story.

"Spike." Celeste hissed.

"Adam." Buffy echoed.

**__**

That ugly guy with the big axe!

"Hello mates! Nice to see you again!" Spike said, waving. Adam just stood, arms crossed arrogantly, the wounds from his previous battle gone, presumingly from a senzu bean.

"I killed you!" Buffy and Celeste said in conjection with each other, Celeste addressing Spike and Buffy Adam.

"I'm already dead!" Spike said.

"Pathetic Slayer. You may have destroyed my main power source…but I am not limited to just that. I made sure I had options for any situation…it still amazes me I had need for my backup supply, though." Adam said, his voice calm and arrogant once more.

Tormentor just growled. He was angry, both at his seemingly impossible defeat and that fact that he couldn't immediately start chopping people up again.

"So you have come. Welcome to the Kingdom." Vagane said, raising his arms.

**__**

Kingdom of what? The Tin Men? Well in that base buddy, you have a lot of people here who plan to send you back to Oz…IN PIECES!

"Oh do shut up, you stupid weapon. I call it the Kingdom because it is here my empire of all will begin. You will all see it come into existence. It will truly be glorious, for the few seconds you survive it."

Ash smirked.

"You've lost, Vagane. Goku broke your control, and I doubt your three little helpers can handle all of us at once. It's over."  
Spike cocked his ear. Adam glanced at him.

'What are you doing?"

"Listening for the fat lady. Nope, don't hear her!" Spike said mockingly. Adam growled in disgust.

**__**

She'll be on in five.

"I have lost? Well, let us look at what you have lost, my foes. The mightiest of you…most of all, your precious Son Goku."

"What did you DO to him?" Pan growled. She had left Goku propped up near the door, with her other grandfather and Buu as guards. She didn't want to bring him into the room.

"I took his power for a greater purpose. Don't try to understand, it is beyond you." Vagane chuckled. A collective growl swept through the grouped warriors.

"Oh yes, I notice the Failure is missing, once again. Tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk, this is becoming a trend." Vagane chuckled. "Why are you fighting? This is his war. I "ruined" him, not you. This is supposedly his cause. Yet he is never here. It's always you, taking the abuse and pain in his place. Did you ever question why?" Vagane said.

"You fool." Celeste suddenly said, as she strod to the front of the group. Everyone looked at her. She had been the only one left with Erik, and with her gone, he was alone, left lying.

"Erik was the first one you hurt. But that wasn't enough for you. You had to do it with all of us, draw us all into the game you were playing with him. You made his cause ours. You made his hatred ours. Our stand is his. His stand is ours. He, and we, will no longer let you commit atrocities in your deluded attempt to be a god! You will not rise above us! You will be placed below us, specifically, SIX FEET UNDER!" Celeste yelled. Everyone yelled to support her as weapons were drawn, battle stances were set, kis were charged, and a full-on assault was ready to begin.

"Ok then…have it your way." Vagane said. "I call this place the Kingdom…but I dub it a new name…THE BATTLEFIELD!"

And then the air was filled with crackling, as Valkyries began appearing all around the grouped warriors. 20 appeared, then thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, and they just kept appearing.

"SHIT!" Ash yelled as all the women appeared, all armed with various weapons and with looks of bloodlust on their face.

"Valkyries! KILL THEM!"

The Valkyries attacked, as they opened fire with various non projectile and protectile weapons. The group of warriors scattered and broke off, each selecting a target and attacking.

"I'M NOT FIGHTING YOUR WARRIORS! I WANT YOU!" Pan screamed, flying at Vagane, fists cocked. Vagane pressed a key and Pan bounced off the air five feet away from Vagane as he turned on his shield. Vagen pressed another key and his main caanon extended from the back of his wheelchair and blasted Pan, sending her flying backwards.

"Don't forget to write!" Spike catcalled after the girl. Pan hit the wall. Hard.

Growling, Pan's hair flared up into SSJ and she blasted at Vagane again, but suddenly two Valkyries leapt into the air and tackled her, driving her back into the ground, hammering at her.

Pan screamed and blew the two off. As the flew through the air, Pan snapped up her arms and fired off twin ki blasts, frying both of the girls to ashes with a combined scream. It had no effect on Pan, who had hardened her heart.

"Dammit! I thought he would only have three dozen or so of these girls left!" Ash said, slashing at a Valkyrie who came at him with twin katanas.

"You thinking cloning isn't beyond Vagane? He probably whipped up a whole batch of new women just for this battle!" Celeste said, slashing her daggers at another woman who attacked with with bladed nunchucks.

"KIENZEN!" Krillian yelled, hurling his projectile at his attack. She dodged, but not quickly enough, and the bladed ki projectile sliced off most of her left arm. But instead of blood, all that came out was sparks. Krillian gaped at the woman as she looked at the sparking metallic stump.

"He didn't just clone a whole bunch of Valkyries! He also gave a bunch cybernetic enhance-ARRGGHHHH!" Krillian yelled as his one armed Valkyrie ran forward at amazing speed and belted him, sending him flying backwards.

"And don't forget all those combat drugs I gave them." Vagane mused. Spike looked at Vagane.

"Tell me mate, do you ever play fair?"

"Cheat to win." Vagane replied.

"Guys! They have the numbers! Let's show them who has the power. YAHHHHHHH!" Bra screamed as she went SSJ and blew away the two Valkyries confronting her. Pan was already in SSJ, but she had abandonned her quest for Vagane. For the moment anyway. Once there were no more Valkyries, she was going to walk up to him, bang on his shield until it broke, and then have her way.

Spike looked on with some worry as the Z Warriors powered up and began to thrash their Valkyrie opponents. The Legacy wasn't doing too shabby either. 

Vagane watched cooly.

"Mate…they're winning…"

"Just a few seconds…Spike. One of the key parts of winning a war is to get your opponent overconfident, whether by accident or on purpose, and then surprise them. Which I figure I should do right about…now. VALKYRIES! ACTIVATE THEM!"

"What the…?" Tien said as his opponent suddenly leapt back and removed a small hand-held device from somewhere on her person. Quickly, she pressed the button.

And then Tien felt the draining sensation tear through him, a nightmare happening all over again. Simular feelings went through all the Z Warriors, as Bra and Pan fell out of SSJ. There was a collective gasp among then. Vagane chuckled.

"You may have destroyed my main ki-blocking device…but I had some time to kill this afternoon, so I build a few dozen smaller, hand held versions for my girls. They won't turn your abilities off completely…but I think they'll dumb them down enough so that this can be a little more advanteous…in my favour. Girls, finish it."

The Valkyries struck back with a vengeance, lacing into the stunned and weakened Z Fighters. Yamcha went down almost immediately as three girls ganged up on him and zapped him with a taser. With him down on the ground, they laughed and started kicking him repeatly, to various cries of pain.

"SHIT! GUYS, PICK UP THE SLACK!" Ash said, slashing at his latest opponent.

"Easy for you to say!" Brigh, as he crouched behind a sheath of metal that had been ripped up out of the ground by an errant ki blast of one of the Z Warriors. Brigh was hiding behind it, occasionally throwing daggers at the four or so Valkyries who were bombarding the makeshift with gun and laser fire. Brigh finally got one in the eye, but as the Valkyrie fell over with a cry, the other three scattered and took up new positions. Brigh cursed and looked for some shadows to teleport through.

Bra dodged away from the sword of her opponent and flipped over her, kicking her in the back. As she sprawled on the ground, Bra stomped on her head, either knocking her senseless or breaking her neck. Bra really didn't care.

Then SHE was slammed to the ground by a massive blow across her back. She flipped to her feet and gaped at the huge woman she was facing. Vagane had definitely done some work on her, no woman who has such freakish genetics to be nearly eight feet tall and more muscular then the Hulk. It was a wonder the woman didn't collaspe under her own body weight.

"Bad girl. You need a spanking." The woman half hissed, half chuckled in a twisted matronly tone, Bra felt sick, but she didn't let that stop her as she leapt forward and punched the huge woman in the chest.

She just hit steel, and it hurt. Bra gasped, and then the woman backhanded her. That was also steel.

Buffy, for once, was glad she didn't have the ability to fly and shoot energy. It kept her abilities from being effected. She ducked and dodged away from the two Valkyries trying to kill her, returning her own blows when she could. Just like every vampire she had fought. She could handle that. Hopefully.

The three girls were still toying with Yamcha, kicking him down every time he tried to get up. Finally, Yamcha couldn't get up any more, and three just kept kicking him while he was down.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Chastity yelled, drawing her swords and charging the three. The three turned to her, weapons drawn, and attacked.

Erik stirred, then shook his head and started to get up.

He glanced to the small group of people next to him. Mr. Satan and Buu were standing and watching something, protecting the wasted Goku, who looked to be having trouble breathing. Videl kneeled next to Goku, half checking on him and half looking at the same thing Mr. Satan was looking at. Dende and Tring were cowering behind the group, not wanting to get involed in whatever Mr. Satan and Buu were looking at.

Erik turned to see.

And he saw it, the massive metal room, now with the floor and walls torn up around where the battle was taking place. He saw the Z Warriors, who should have been kicking ass but weren't, and he saw the Legacy, doing their best even though they were severely outnumbered and outgunned.

Then there was a scream, and Chastity flew by him. Erik's head snapped around as he watched her slam against the wall, her exposed body badly cut and bruised.

"Erik…ow…" was all Chastity got to get out before her eyes rolled up and she fell over, out of it.

Slowly, Erik turned back, and saw Vagane, watching on his platform, looking very pleased with his results, his ever cruel, arrogant smirk on his face.

The rage came roaring back, blasting through every part of his body and mind. His eyes nearly glowed red as a black power surged up through him and then crackled on his hands as his mind burned with one single thought, one goal, one destiny: KILL!

Erik stood up, not running, but walking with a strong stride, heading towards the first Valkyrie he saw. This Valkyrie had gotten close to Angie and was beating her down.

"Stupid woman! You're nothing but a-AUUGGHHHH!!!!!!!!" The Valkyrie screamed as Erik slammed his fist right through her back, his metal fingers exploding out her chest. In his hand he clutched her heart, thrashing and steaming. She gurgled and then fell over as Erik yanked his arm back out of her and casually dropped the heart on the ground. Angie stared and then was sick as Erik moved on, in his same stride. It was if he was practicing for a march, except within his eyes burned vehemence beyond belief.

And then, out of nowhere, they assembled, six or seven Valkyries surrounding Erik, all with weapons. Erik stopped, blood dripping from his hand.

"Give it up, Failure. You're old and outdated. We are the latest and greatest of Vagane's creations. You don't stand a chance against…" one Valkyrie started saying, apparently the leader.

Then her voice was cut off as Erik blurred forward, and then his bloody fingers seized her by the throat and lifted her clear off the ground. The Valkyrie gasped and then started gagging as Erik began to squeeze.

"You're lucky if Vagane spent five minutes on you." Erik hissed, as his fingers cut into the Girl's throat and her gags began gurgles as blood began pouring down Erik's arm. "He spent eight yeas on me. He wanted me to be his perfect weapon of destruction. Well, I am a weapon, but I am not his. INSTEAD, I AM HIS WORST NIGHTMARE!"

And then the Valkyrie's head exploded off in another gout of blood, Erik having squeezed her neck so hard he'd popped her head off like a cork.

The Valkyries exploded into action, all attacking Erik at once. Erik ducked and dodged away. His fist flashed out and one of the Valkyries went down, her neck broken. Another one stabbed a sai at Erik. He caught the weapon, crushed it in his hand, and then slammed his head against the Valkyrie's nose, smashing it into the girl's brain. The girl fell, spasming, as Erik ducked underneath a Valkyrie swinging a pike at him and spinning up, his talons slashing out and chopping the girl's head clean off in another explosion of blood.

Another one stepped back as Erik leapt away from the other's attacks, aiming a handgun at Erik. Erik saw the girl and held out his hand. The girl gasped as Erik activated a magnet in his hand and the gun flew out of her hand and into his. Erik smiled, then flipped the gun around and emptied it into her, taking care to fire at every non-vital spot first before he grew bored and put three through her heart and two through her head. Dropping the gun, Erik, almost arrogantly, dodged away from a charging Valkyrie and smashed his fist into her back, shattering her spine.

There were two left, and they looked hesitant. But then the hesitation vanished and they attacked Erik again. Erik dodged and jumped away from all their attacks, and then jumped over them, doing multiple flips, bringing his fists together.

"FEAR'S VOID!"

"AHHHHHHHH!" one of the Valkyries screamed as Erik threw the ball of power into her, sending her flying backwards as it burned her flesh off. She hit the wall and exploded into burning pieces, ripping a huge hole in the wall and sending flaming scrap shooting across the room. A piece slashed across Erik's cheek, but he totally ignored it as he turned to the last Valkyrie. She actually looked scared.

But that fear vanished as quickly as it appeared, as she attacked Erik with her barbed sword, which appeared to be a simular model's to Spike. Erik dodged away from the first slash, the blade never getting anywhere near him. He slashed his arm out, breaking the Valkyrie's arm. She dropped the blade with a scream, and then Erik blasted her in the knee, blowing her whole lower right leg off. She fell with another scream, and Erik knelt down, pinning her down with a knee on his chest.

"BITCH! PUPPET OF VAGANE! DIE! DIE DIE DIE DIE **DIE!**" Erik screamed, the rage having built and built until it was beyond his control, as he rained down fists on the Valkyrie's face. He ignored her screams as he pounded her, smashing her face to pulp and crushing her skull, ignored the blood spraying on his body and face, totally lost in his rage, his only care to cause pain.

He didn't notice the Valkyrie looking on in horror, see her grabbing a long length of rebar that had flown out of the hole Erik had blown in the wall, see her swing the long metal pole used to reinforce concrete and steel under her arm and charge Erik, the burnt tip sharp and hot.

Erik realized it too late.

"DIE!" The Valkyrie screamed, jamming the pole right in Erik's left torso, piercing through his lung and ripping the pole out his back. Erik cursed inwardly for letting his guard down so much, but he didn't give any indication of pain as the Valkyrie, showing great strength of her own, shoved Erik backwards with the pole before the other end jammed in the wall, pinning Erik like an insect.

The pain ripped through Erik, waves of agony, and he snarled at the Valkyrie allowed herself a smile, looking quite pleased with herself.

"I killed the Failure. Vagane will be…"

That was all she got to say. She thought she was out of Erik's reach. She did not expect him to literally pull himself up the length of the pole and grab her.

Then Erik yanked himself backwards, inpaling the Valkyrie on the pole with him. She gasped as it pierced her heart. She looked at Erik, glowering.

"Go to hell." She hissed, as blood poured from her mouth.

Erik's hands seized on each side of the Valkyrie's head.

"You first." Erik hissed back, and squashed the Valkyrie's head between his hands so violently shattered brains sprayed upward from her head. Her body slumped, and Erik shoved it off the pole. Grabbing the length of iron, he yanked it from the wall and then pulled it from his body.

Blood poured down his front and back, soaking him, but Erik didn't care. He didn't care about his pierced lung as it tried to breath in its damaged state and couldn't. Gripping the pole, soaked in his blood and others, he went forward, seemingly running on something other then oxygen and blood.

A Valkyrie confronted him, slashing a weapon. Erik dodged aside and swung the long pole like a baseball bat, smashing in the side of the Valkyrie's skull as she screamed. Her twitching body fell, and Erik moved on.

Another Valkyrie confronted him, this one armed with razor-gloves that looked like Freddy Kruger's. The girl slashed at him, incredibly fast. With a mortal wound, Erik should have been easy prey. Instead, he dodged away from every blow the girl made at him. Confused, the girl leapt back and decided on a new stratagy, leaping up into the air and attacking with a high jump kick.

Erik, snarling, stabbed the pole upward.

The Valkyrie got a moment to scream before the pole burst out the top of her head, spraying cereberal tissue. His weapon now turned into a Valkyriesicle, Erik dropped the rebar pole, leaving the body impaled on it, and went on, ignoring the burning, the numbness, and the weakness that was starting to creep into him, utterly unfaltering, heading towards Vagane.

"Dear god…is he a demon in a man's body?" Buffy said in horror, having seen a good deal of the Erik massacre due to Erik's insane rage at Vagane and his minions. Even with a hole through him, Erik wouldn't quit.

But the rest of them weren't having the same luck. With their powers dampened once again, the Valkyries were overwhelming them. Pan was trying to hold off four, and Bra was being pummeled by one huge one. Several Legacy members lay wounded or out of the fight, adding to the numbers against them. Still, everyone fought on, with all their heart, never backing down.

"ARGH!" Bra screamed as her huge opponent backhanded her, breaking her cheek. Bra kicked at her, but the Valkyrie grabbed her leg and flipped her over her head, driving Bra into the hard metal ground with a scream.

"No…not again…" Mr. Satan said as he watched the pummeling. He had to go and fight…but he couldn't leave his daughter, Marron, and Goku. They would be helpless if one of the Valkyries decided to come after them.

Ash, covered with blood and the Soulfire slick with it, slashed at another opponent, but he was hurt and starting to tire, and his team was dropping like flies. Ash shoved away another Valkyrie and Christine speared her in the back. But more came to replace her.

"He has to have a limited number of these girls!" Ash cursed.

**__**

Yeah, but who's gonna run out of what first? He girls or you ability to fight?

"Maybe so, but I'll never give up!" Ash said, dodging away and killing his latest opponent. Christine came to his side, and they stared down a group of five Valkyries that came to confront them.

"Ok, anyone else feel like dying today? I'll fight until my heart stops!" Ash said.

And the explosions blasted all over the room, one of them consuming the five Valkyries in front of him. Ash and Christine recoiled, and then turned to see Paul, cocking his gun.

"THE CALVERY'S HERE!" Paul crowed, and opened fire as Vegeta, Piccolo, Trunks, Ubuu, and Chaozu flew up from behind him and dove into the battlefield.

Vagane's eyebrows arched, and he actually started to look angry as Chaozu blew away the Valkyrie threatening Tien and Piccolo speared two on a Makkankosappo. Paul leapt into the battlefield as Rod and William joined him.

Bra was being hoisted up by her opponent when she was suddenly torn from the Valkyrie's hands. The big woman looked around in confusion and then her eyes fell on Vegeta, who stood in front of her, holding his injured daughter and looking utterly furious.

"Oh, who are you, shrimp? Go ahead, take your best shot." The Valkyrie taunted.

POW! Vegeta knocked the Valkyrie's head clean off with a punch, sending it flying across the huge room.

"You asked, bitch." Vegeta scoffed, and gave his daughter a Senzu.

"Marron…Marron…" Goten whispered, cradling his wife in his arms. He had been told that Marron had yet to wake up, but he didn't let himself think that she would never wake up. Beside him, Gohan held Videl, who was sobbing into his shoulder as Gohan tried to comfort her. Diana stood by near the Nameks, unable to do anything except watch and pray.

Marron stirred, as if drawn by her husband's voice, and then her eyes opened.

"Goten…?"

"Marron." Goten said, hugging his wife close.

"Goten…oh Goten…I'm sorry…they took our baby…I couldn't stop it…I'M SORRY!" Marron wailed, joining Videl in weeping. Goten held her close, a few of his own tears staining Marron's back, and then the fury came back.

"Gohan…our daughter's out there…help her!" Videl said.

"But Videl…"  
"Don't worry about me! Help Pan!"

Gohan nodded, standing and looking at his father. Chaozu had told him what had happened, but it hadn't even prepared him for the horror of what Vagane had done to his father. Goku smiled.

"You're strong son…you can do it…don't worry about me."

"I will get you back father. I promise." Gohan said, and flew off onto the battlefield. Videl waved after him weakly.

Marron continued to sob, but eventually her body went limp again. Goten pulled her back and checked. Her pulse was strong. She had just passed out.

"I'll be back Marron." Goten said, standing up. His hair flashed and went gold.

"But now…Vagane gets his!"

"Heya Ash! Didja miss me?" Paul said as he leapt to his friend's side. He aimed his gun and the barrel blazed, falling a Valkyrie off in the distance.

**__**

No!

"Oh shut up." Ash smirked. The tide was once again turning, as the mightiest of the Z Warriors tore up the battlefield. Vagane's dampeners seemed to affect them too, but not enough. They were simply too strong.

**__**

Hey, wasn't Vagane closer a second ago?

Ash turned and looked. Indeed, the platform Vagane was on had seemingly moved backwards, away from the battlefield as explosions, yells, and screams filled the air. It certainly wasn't beyond Vagane to be able to do that, although Ash found it odd he had just moved farther away instead of running away.

Buffy joined the group, also blood splattered.

"How you doing?"

"Pretty good, all things considering. Leave it to these guys to steal my thunder." Buffy said, indicating Vegeta. Vegeta had far more experience as an SSJ then his daughter, and thus was easily able to maintain the state. In it, he was taking apart six Valkyries and loving it, laughing. He needed a warm up before Vagane.

"Must we use lethal force?"

"They wouldn't hesitate to." Ash said.

Then realization flashed in Buffy's eyes.

"ERIK!"

Erik hadn't stopped, as he walked on, blood trailing behind him, not stopping until he got to Vagane. Vagane watched his approach with distaste.

"Persistant, isn't he?" Adam commented.

"He'll never reach us. Even for him, that wound is far too severe."

Vegeta has finished off his Valkyries and had gone off to fight some more. However, in his journey, he had finally seen Goku, and had flown towards him. He had found the place by himself, and hence had not heard Chaozu's explanation.

Distance could not have allowed Vegeta to see how bad a state Goku was in, and he moved so quickly he got an instant up close view instead of a gratual distance view.

It was one of the greatest shocks in his life.

"Kakarott…" he said, unable to believe that the pathetic figure before him was his lifelong rival. This had to be some kind of joke.

But it was him. Vegeta knew it. He just could not believe it.

"Vegeta…" Goku whispered. "It appears…you have the chance for your revenge. I…cheated…to weaken you and make you helpless…and now the tables have turned. I am weaker then I ever…made you. Take your revenge…if you will."

Videl stared at Goku in horror. Did she just hear right? Did Goku just offer his life to Vegeta?

"Goku, no…!" Videl said in shock. Vegeta slowly clenched his fists, never breaking his gaze on Goku.

Then he unclenched his fists.

"No…this isn't what I wanted. I wanted a glorious final battle, free of anything except the saiya-jin love of the fight…I didn't want to destroy a living skeleton. This is not what I dreamed…it is not what I want." Vegeta said, turning his eyes back to the battlefield. He could still see Vagane on his platform out on the distance, and his son and daughter fighting. _His fault…he took my dream…my pride…and forced the ones I love into this…his sins never end…and neither will his pain…_

Then Chastity, revived by a Senzu, came into the room.

"Erik needs a Senzu! He's hurt!"

"Here." Vegeta said, tossing Chastity his bag. "Get him one. I'm going to help them deal with these bitches. And then…we shall claim our revenge."

Erik could feel the weakness spreading. He fought to keep it at bay as he walked on, but eventually it became overwhelming, and he began slowing down. _No…can't stop…never…_

In the crowd, Chastity tossed the bag to Ash. Ash tossed it to Goten, who was closest. Goten dug into the bag and picked up a bean.

"ERIK!" Goten screamed.

His name being called pierced the fog of Erik's head, and he turned slightly to see Goten standing and cocking back his arm.

"EAT THIS!" Goten said, throwing the bean. It spiraled through the air.

"OH NO YOU DON'T!" Vagane suddenly yelled from up on his platform, slamming his hand on a button. His main cannon extended.

Ash, Christine, Buffy, and Goten gasped at the black bolt of power shot at the bean. Vagane was going to destroy it before it got to Erik.

"STOP THAT!" Ash yelled. Goten tried to intercept the blast, but he was suddenly attacked from behind and his shot went wide, missing Vagane's blast.

"OH NO!" Christine yelled as the beam bore down on the bean.

Then a dagger flashed through the air, piercing the bean and cutting it cleanly in halfThe two halves flew to each side, the beam going right between them, missing by millimeters. Erik held out his hands and the two halves fell into them.

"NO! WHAT?" Vagane cursed as Erik popped the bean halves into his mouth. He shuddered, then snapped his head back to get his hair out of his eyes as he stood up, healed. The dagger flew back to him, flying to his side and into Celeste's hand.

"You're always there for me. Likewise." Celeste said.

Erik smiled, and then looked at Vagane, who looked utterly furious. Erik looked back at the Z Warriors and Legacy. The Valkyries were clearly about to lose.

"Let's go Celeste." Erik said, and the two headed towards Vagane.

Vagane made a furious gesture, and more Valkyries appeared, heading towards the couple.

It was almost beautiful how Erik and Celeste worked together, weaving in and out like a pair of dancers as they cut the Valkyries down in a brutal display of carnage. It was finally their time.

Vagane clenched his fists so hard his knuckles whitened. This couldn't be happening.

"Mate…what are we gonna do?" Spike said. There were about thirty Valkyries left, fighting all around the platform Vagane was on with Legacy members and Z Warriors. With the strongest Z Warriors having turned the tide, it was only a matter of time before Vagane's last line of defense was gone.

Vagane looked around at the carnage, at his girls being cut down one by one. He lowered his head and looked at Erik and Celeste as they fought with a group of five Valkyries in front of him, about fifty feet away.

He tapped a key, and a part of his wheelchair extended as Vagane pulled out a large, fancy-looking pistol that fit perfectly into his hand.

"Mate?" Spike said as Vagane tapped more keys. "That's a gun. That won't work. What are you planning to do?"

A lone bullet was presented to Vagane, sleek and beautiful, and rigged with more miniature cybernetics then Spike could ever conceive of. There would be no defense against it, no matter what. It was what he had designed it for.

Vagane loaded the bullet and cocked his gun.

"Mate, what are you doing?"

"Something I should have done…a long long time ago." Vagane said.

Slowly, he aimed the gun at Erik.

Erik thought everything was right. Things would end. Justice would be done.

Indeed, as he spun around, away from Vagane, and slit the throat of his last Valkyrie, he didn't have any worries, any cares. All he had was his rage and his determination, and his bond with Celeste, who stood by his side.

Celeste pierced the heart of her last opponent with both her daggers and at the same time let loose with an explosion of power from them, blowing a huge hole in the girl's chest. Ceheste pulled her daggers back as Erik cut his foe's throat.

"HEY FAILURE!"

Vagane's voice pierced into Erik's ears. In a part of his mind, he got even angrier. He was sick of hearing that arrogant, delusional tone. Slowly, Erik began to turn.

As he did, Vagane waited a beat and spoke, finishing his sentence just as Erik was finishing his turn.

"You should never turn your back on an enemy!"

Erik heard the words, felt them slide into his brain as he attempted to figure them out. Celeste did likewise, but she was facing Vagane more and was able to see him a split second sooner.

She saw the gun first. Saw it glistening in the light of the room. Saw the hammer cocking back. Saw Vagane's finger clenching.

Erik saw the same thing as he completed his turn, as he realized he had made himself a sitting duck.

The gun exploded. Even with all the noise in the room the sound was deafening. The flash of light from the barrel as the bullet exploded forth, going even faster then a normal bullet due to its and the gun's design.

One of Celeste's daggers clattered to the ground as her legs moved. The single _clank_ echoed seemingly for an eternity, the same eternity as Erik saw the bullet flying at him, a bullet he didn't have time to stop or block, a bullet aimed right at his head.

Erik saw death's ageless face.

And then he just saw black as Celeste leapt in front of him. His horror multiplied to a level beyond comphrehension. He screamed, a scream that seemed to come out as slow as mollasas.

"CELESTE, NO!"

The bullet took her just to the left of her sternum, piercing through her flesh and violating her body. The heart screamed defiance as the bullet pierced it, blasting through the organ and bursting half of it like a wet sack filled with oatmeal. The bullet went on, glancing on Celeste's spine and spinning off its original path. It burst out her back and whizzed by Erik's shoulder before it buried itself in the ground, digging its own grave for it.

Erik saw all this in slow motion, heard Celeste's gasp of pain, and then her body was falling towards him, still in slow motion.

And then the world went back to normal, as he caught her as he fell to his knees, holding her as she opened her mouth and blood poured from within, life's blood.

"Bloody hell! You missed!" Spike cursed, although he was pleased at Celeste for getting hit.

And then Vagane's look of anger and determination faded, replaced by a smirk of content.

"Did I?" Vagane said, bringing the gun down.

And Spike realized it had all been a huge setup. The fight, the anger, everything had been played to perfection to set up the scene.

And the final curtain had finally come down on a man and woman that had made Spike's life hell.

He didn't feel good though.

Instead, he felt apprehensive.

"Celeste! No…why did you do that? No…" Erik said, as he held Celeste's limp body in his arms, feeling her blood soak his hands underneath her as he tried to support her.

"Because…I couldn't let you die, Erik. Not like that." Celeste whispered, more blood pouring from her mouth, and pooling around her. "It…was…the best I could do."

"No. Don't talk like that. You'll be fine. We'll help…" Erik said, his voice filled with pleading and desperation that was as unlike him as anything.

Gingerly, Celeste reached up with a hand soaked with her own blood and touched Erik's cheek.

"If only…I had been brave enough…to…" Celeste coughed, more blood spilling out.

"Celeste…"  
"Gohan told me."

Erik blinked. Celeste actually smiled a bit.

"I…never blamed you Erik. You did all you could…it was fate. It tempered me for you. I thought it would never last myself…but as I grew older, it just grew stronger…and stronger. It never faltered or gave up…just like you, Erik…you made me whole again. You gave my life meaning. You…gave me joy when I thought I would never feel it again. I don't hate you…I could never hate you. I love you…with all my heart…and I never had any regrets for doing it…"

"Celeste…!" Erik pleaded.

"I love you…Erik Damien Ravensky…no…regrettttssss…" Celeste whispered, the blood bubbling around her mouth. Her hand slid away down Erik's cheek, leaving a trail of blood as her arm fell limp.

Then the light in her eyes was gone as her body went limp as well.

Erik stared, his body shaking ever so slightly, as Celeste stopped breathing. Her lone dagger, held in her hand, suddenly began to dissolve to dust and blow away. It no longer had the source to exist from.

"Celeste…Raven…no…" Erik whispered, holding the body of the woman he had dared to love in his arms. He lowered his head, and a lone tear trickled down his cheek, mixing with Celeste's blood. Crying bloody tears.

The chains of fate hadn't hanged him. They had hanged Celeste instead.

Vagane's laughter echoed down onto him, and Erik slowly raised his head, never letting go of Celeste's body.

"You see why you are a Failure, boy? I am about to become a god…and you…you can't protect anyone you touch! Your family, your friends…even the woman you loved! That is why you are a Failure!" Vagane laughed.

Erik looked down at Celeste, and then he slowly reached a hand from under her body and closed her eyes, unable to look into them any more. Slowly, he removed his other arm from under her, laying her carefully down on the ground. She almost looked like she was sleeping.

Erik found himself getting to his feet, looking not at Vagane, but at his hands. They were covered with Celeste's blood. But it wasn't like any of the blood Erik had had spilled on him this evening. It was so bright, so red, so lively…so full of life itself.

Spike looked at the man who was in the grips of despair. He wanted to say something clever, like "Hey mate, would you like your palm read? Oh, too late, they're red already." But he didn't. Something…was very very wrong.

Erik stared at the blood on his hands.

__

I failed her…I said no one would ever hurt her…and I failed. I did this. She did it for me. She sacrified her soul for my damned one…her future for my curse…everything…for me…all because she loved me. I swore to protect her…I failed her.

Failed her.

Failed her.

Failure. 

Failure.

And it came, raging out of the darkness shadows within the human heart where it had always been. It had had brief tastes of freedom before, but the door had always been slammed on its face after a short time.

Not now. The door had been thrown wide open, as the terrible force barreled down from within, homing in on Erik Damien Ravensky.

Only to find him waiting with open arms. He would resist no longer.

But it would not have its way. Not now. Not ever.

"Oh no…" Christine said as she watched the terrible events unfold, cumilating in Celeste's sacrifice to save the man she loved.

"Erik…no…not that…anything…" Goten echoed as he saw it too. He was out of opponents, and hence was unable to watch unfettered as Erik held Celeste in his arms as she died.

Then he felt _IT._

He had felt the power come from Erik before, something that seemed like ki but was not, something far worse then ki, more terrible, more horrific. He had felt it back in the hospital and when Erik had been confronted by Vagane's machine back at Capsole Corp. But what he had sensed…was nothing compared to this. It was unstoppable, burning, ripping, a darkness beyond night and evil tearing through his mind.

All the Z Warriors stopped as they felt it too.

And then Erik threw back his head and screamed.

And then it exploded from him, a wave of pure blackness going everywhere, pouring from his body like a volcano spewing the fiery rock of hell. The wave of power, of darkness, seemed to be from hell itself. It was the utter blackness of a ruined soul no longer able to resist, the utter death of hope that consumed Erik as he continue to scream, a cry beyond pain and rage and utter torment of the cruel mistrees Fate.

"GET DOWN!" Goten bellowed, throwing himself to the ground. He didn't just scream it, he COMMANDED it, in his voice and in his mind, each one piercing into all those on his side and telling them for their own lives to take cover.

As one, all the Z Warriors, Legacy members, and Buffy dove to the ground.

And then it washed over them, a terrible burning coldness that was horrible to feel even though it was not painful.

The Valkyries didn't get a chance to dive for cover. All they got to do was watch the power explode.

And then it consumed them all, none of them getting an chance to scream as it burned them, tearing off the flesh from their bones like wax before they were burned to ashes and then oblivion.

"YAHHHH!" Vagane said in surprise as the power came. He already had his finger on his shield trigger, and that was what saved his life as he pressed it immediately, shielding himself and those around him.

Then the power slammed into the shield. Somehow, it held, even though the metal below the group sizzled and began to immediately melt away. Vagane and his companions retreated backwards as their platform was torn away into fiery metal pieces.

Then all the metal floor was being torn up, the power surging everywhere. It blew away the room and walls and rained flaming shrapnal for miles as Erik destroyed the whole section of the base. The ground undeneath the metal was torn up and destroyed as well, forming into new patterns, and all the time there was that scream, that horrendous heart-piercing, mind-numbing, soul-shredding _scream…_

Erik's hands came up to his head, tangling in his hair as he continued to scream, Celeste's blood still covering his palms.

And then the blood suddenly seemed to leech into Erik's hair as his hair began changing colours where he had his hands. The black was replaced by the blood-red, the deepest crimson as Erik's hair seemed to start growing out even more, spilling past his shoulders and going down his back.

Then Erik's body began to change, as muscles seem to bulge on muscles and Erik began to grow, both in height and girth. He didn't grow much, but he was already an impressive specimen of a man, and this changed him to a nigh-giant, or so it seemed. And all the time, that terrible scream.

"Dear kami…what's happening!?!?!?" Goten gasped, able to somehow see through the black energy and watch this, as Erik brought his hands away from his head.

Then his hands started changing, as the flesh burst away on his left arm to reveal metal as black as night. It tore away up to his upper forearm as the FS-X melted away on Erik's right arm and the metal there also turned black as the abyss. Then there was a digusting tearing sound and suddenly blades burst forth from the back of Erik's elbows, long black scyth like weapons that grew out to be over five feet.

Blackness exploded from this new limbs, swirling around Erik. Then they seemed to solidify around the man, and the scream finally stopped.

The energy faded.

The earth was silent for a moment.

Then the blackness exploded away from Erik as he stood up from kneeling, tearing away like cloth and forming into a new shape. Night-black metal wings on Erik's back, huge blades of destruction and death flapped once, seemingly as flexible as rubber and as solid as metal at the same time.

Blood-red lightning crackled on Erik's frame, leaping off him and ripping into the ground, a crackling burning brand that tore along the earth as it danced on Erik's body, between his new wings, and on his hands.

Transformation complete.

"The shadow self." Buffy whispered in horror, looking at the new neo-Erik. She had seen many many things, butt she had never seen anything quite like this. Slowly, she got to her feet.

Everyone else did, looking around. Erik's explosion had virtually destroyed the whole "Kingdom" blowing away the room and destroying nearly all the walls. Off in the distance, other parts of Vagane's lab were in flames, and in other parts black mountains peaked up around Vagane's lab, as if they were curious onlookers to this destruction.

"Brother…" Christine said, and could find no more words for what Erik had become.

Vagane had lowered his arm, where it had gone instintively when Erik's incredible force had hit him. He looked at Erik as everyone else with him recovered, gaping at what the man had become. Erik's transformation had torn one part of the ground into a small hill, which was what Vagane and his associates were on, about three hundred feet from Erik.

"At last!" Vagane said with triumph. "After so many years…it has been done! I have destroyed the Failure once and for all, and I have finally unlocked what I saw in him all those years ago, something even he could not see. Look apon it, my friends. Look apon the very manifestation of annihalation that has destroyed the Failure from within! Behold the Angel of Death itself!"

"My kami…" Mr. Satan said from where he stood, having shielded the others when the power had exploded. The hallway and room around them had been destroyed, but they had not been touched, miraculously.

Everyone who wasn't on Vagane's side shared the same look of horror from what had happened to Erik, and from Vagane's words.

The Angel of Death was silent, as it snapped its wings again, the blood-red lightning still crackling on its body and destroying the ground around it.

"Come, One Who Has No Name!" Vagane said, and the Angel of Death turned to look at Vagane, who looked postively esctastic. "I have spent many years trying to awake you from where you were placed in the body of that boy. You have lived in many men since the dawn of time, but none have ever been able to have the proper body structure and abilities to let your true power be known. I took that boy and sculpted his body for you, and for many years I have tried to let you out. At last I have succeeded! At last you have annihalated that boy's mind and consciousness, and replaced it with your own! At last your full power is at your disposal on this mortal coil! I have done this, all for you."

The Angel of Death, or One Who Has No Name, was still silent.

"Come, Nameless One. I wish to cleanse everything of life! Join me. I will grant you your true purpose, the destiny of wiping all life from everywhere. You can at last truly taste the fruits of destruction. I promise this to you, One Who Has No Name. I have dreamed of it since I can remember, and with you, we can each achieve it, One Who Has No Name."

Then the Angel of Death spoke.

"I have a name."

And the wind went out of Vagane's sails immediately, as his pale flesh went even paler. But this was no act. This was real.

"No…no…" Vagane said, for the voice who had spoken was Erik's…a voice tipped with the very essense of violence and hostility.

And Goten realized that the left side of Erik's face was organic. The machine part was gone. Likewise, Erik's left leg was once again composed of flesh and blood. It was if all the technology in his body had decided to consume his left arm instead.

Erik's twin organic eyes, the pupils now the same blood-red colour of his waist-length hair, shone with savagery, as his hair blew around his metal wings, blood-red lightning occasionally crackling along it.

"THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE!" Vagane roared. "No human can withstand the power! It was supposed to utterly destroy your mind, your essence, your very being! You should have been destroyed beyond retrieval! THIS CANNOT BE HAPPENING!!!!!!"  
"Oh, but it is, Vagane." Erik said. "Perhaps…it might not have been this way. Maybe if you had killed a friend…or my sister…perhaps for all I know I would have destroyed when this power within me emerged. That was why you made me a cyborg, isn't it? It was more then making me a weapon for your use. You wanted this to wake up, for me to be a strong enough "vessal" for it, so you would have the greatest force ever at you beck and call. But I rebelled. But that didn't discourage you. You searched for years to find another way, and finally you found it in all you have done here, and all the lives you have taken. This was the point of all the mind games. To weaken me enough to let this out so it could take over. But you couldn't stop at the bad and the worse. You had to go for the brass ring, the very worst…and you murdered a woman who meant more to me then perhaps anything or anything else. You thought it would be the best way to wipe me out…instead, it made me mad enough, and gave me the strength to not only survive…but to bend it to my will."

"No…not possible…"

"Oh yes…it is. I saw the force Vagane, a merciless horror that could not be described, one that had been reborn in men since the dawn of civalization. I saw the works of Caguila, Nero, Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan, Torquemanda, Vlad the Impaler, Ivan the Terrible, Adolf Hitler…all the crimes this force made men cause. It thought I would be the key to its true, ultimate power. Instead, I became the lone one who ever defeated it."

"No!"

"Yes, Vagane!" Erik said as the red lightning exploded into even greater brillanace and violence around him. "The Force That Has No Name…it has been defeated! I have twisted its power to my will. Its power is now my power. I alone command it! It flows through my veins, and fills me with the fury of a god, and HIS MIGHT!"

Vagane was shaking, but no one could take the saitisfaction in finally seeing him utterly terrified. They were all too scared of Erik. He emitted something that terrified them on a level they couldn't quit understand…much like Agony had.

"What…what are you…?" Vagane half whimpered.

"I…am a man. A member of the human species, who you though deserved nothing but death. I am the son of a murdered couple, the brother of murdered sisters, the friends of murdered people with good hearts…and a lover for a murdered Raven." Erik said, looking down.

Celeste was still there, lying before Erik. But the power that had come from Erik had not harmed her, and the crimson lightning dancing on his body did not touch her, the beams crackling around her body like it was sacred. Erik looked at her sadly, and then looked back up at Vagane.

"I am…Erik Damien Ravensky…and I am what…he craved more then anything…more then the death of the wicked…more then vengeance…more then anything. I am Redemption."

"No…you're supposed to be gone! Destroyed! Your mind should have been utterly shattered! It is far too weak to have withstood the power! It was supposed to happen! My observations, my calculations, my work, my power…" Vagane stammered

**__**

"YOUR POWER IS_ NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"_

The red lightning increased ten-fold, spreading around Erik, or Redemption in an aura of destruction. But once again, it did not touch Celeste. Erik looked down at her again.

"I love you…Raven."

And then Erik started walked towards Vagane and his group, his steps slow and deliberate. He was in no hurry. He stepped around Celeste, the ground melting under his feet on every step.

"Adam, stop him!" Vagane said in desperation. Adam looked at Vagane in disgust. He had watched this little scene and was quite sickened by it, and then Vagane had gone and done what he did.

"Are you giving me an _order?"_ Adam said in disbelief.

"Does it matter? Stop him!" Vagane said.

Adam sighed.

"It appears I was mistaken, Vagane, on your level of mind and equalness to me. I think that after this is over, I will have to reevaluate my partnership with you…but this boy has been a thorn in my side long enough. I will destroy him, but not for your sake. For mine!"

And then Adam leapt off the small hill and strode toward Redemption. Redemption stopped as Adam walked up to him.

"You can make all the speeches and do all the lightshows you want, boy. In the end, no matter what, you are still just a mortal, and you cannot stand before a god!" Adam said, as he reached Erik. Drawing back his hand, he punched Erik in the chest as hard as he could.

Erik didn't budge, and as the sudden pain flared up in his hand, Adam looked down to see that the flesh of his hand was burning away from the bone.

"Tell me something Adam…" Erik whispered as Adam looked back at him. "Where do gods go when they die?"  
In his mind, Adam experienced another first for himself: that he had made a mistake.

And then Erik snapped his wings out and roared as red power exploded off his body. Adam screamed as the power consumed him, and then a huge explosion shook the ground around Erik.

The power faded, along with the smoke.

Buffy's jaw dropped. Adam was…_gone._ There was no corpse, no skeleton, no bones, not even any ashes to suggest that Adam had existed. He had been wiped off the face of the earth completely.

Vagane went even paler at Adam's destruction. He wouldn't be returning this time.

"Spike…" Vagane said.

He got no response, and he turned to see that Spike was no longer beside him. Instead, he was backing up away from Erik.

"Spike!" Vagane hissed, suddenly angry.

"Look mate, I don't know a lot of things for sure in life…but I know when I've fucked with the wrong person, and I have DEFINITELY fucked with the wrong guy! I'll send you a postcard in hell!" Spike said, turning around, leaping off the hill, and running for his life for the nearest and lone door that had survived the room's destruction.

Vagane looked around at Tormentor, and a scheme appeared in his eyes.

"Tormentor!" Vagane said. "That being believes that it is beyond you in causing death and destruction to others! Prove it wrong!"

"WHAT? I will, with great relish!" Tormentor said, leaping off the hill and drawing his huge axe. He stomped towards Erik, who was back walking towards Vagane, slow and steady. Tormentor reached him.

"You think you surpass me? NONE SURPASS ME! I AM THE CAUSER OF THE GREATEST PAIN EVER!" Tormentor bellowed, rearing up his axe before swinging it down.

The axe shattered on Erik's head, not even messing up a hair. Tormentor gaped at his ruined axe, which he had broken down to the very edge on Erik's head.

"NOT POSSIBLE! DIE!" Tormentor bellowed, grabbing his bladestaff with his other hand, still holding his broken axe in the other, and swinging it at Erik's head.

Erik's hand snapped up, grabbing the bladestaff just before it hit his head.

Then he thrust his other arm out, as new clews snapped from his hand, claws even longer then the ones he had once had in his lone mechanical arm, barbed and black.

They pierced right through Tormentor, and Tormetor bellowed in surprise and sudden terrible pain as Erik's claws burst out his back. The bladestaff suddenly burst into flame and burnt to ashes as Erik lifted Tormentor off the ground above his head with no effort at all via the talons he had pierced through him. Tormentor bellowed again.

And then Erik thrust his other hand into Tormentor's stomach and let loose with a gigantic crimson energy blast that blew right though him, blowing away Tormentor's whole chest and midsection. Tormentor screamed as the power blasted through him before carrying him up in a burning red uprising that blasted into the sky.

Erik lowered his hand, the blast fading, as he stood for a few seconds.

Tormentor's body crashed down behind him, ravaged and mutilated beyond belief, and cut nearly in half. Tormentor's smoking, ruined axe came crashing down next to its fallen lord, breaking into pieces as it landed.

"Tormentor, you had no idea what true pain is." Erik whispered, and moved on towards Vagane, his lightning still ripping up the ground around him.

Vagane was shaking, and slowly, he turned to the Valkyrie behind him.

"Belinda…activate them." Vagane said.

"But sir…are they ready?"

"I don't care. It is close enough…and I need the two bigger pierces of my puzzle…SO ACTIVATE THEM!" Vagane yelled.

Belinda scurried off, running after where Spike had gone, as Redemption continued his walk towards Vagane. Vagane didn't bother running.

There was no escape.

Vegeta smirked as Erik slowly walked towards Vagane, his wings moving slightly as his power continued to crackle on him.

"That fool." Vegeta said, and everyone who had been watching Erik as he cut down Adam and Tormentor with no effort at all looked at him. "Vagane thought his mind knew everything…in reality he knew nothing of the human species, the human heart, or the forces he was setting in motion. It is a truly deserving fate. I think that for once, I will even give up Vagane's death to Erik…I think what the "Angel of Death" will do to him will surpass even what I could do." Vegeta snickered. His anger at Erik stealing his kill was overrun by his amusement in what Erik would do.

"And what he might just do to us." Gohan sad in a dead tone. Now everyone looked at Gohan, who looked rather scared.

"What are you talking about? Erik's on our side!" Ash said.

"Yeah! He won't hurt us!" Chastity said.

"He couldn't!" Goten added.

"Maybe so…but remember what Erik said? How the power was supposed to overwhelm him, but his rage at the death of Celeste gave him the strength to fight it and bend it to his will? I suspect that was what that black energy that killed the Valkyries was. It was partly an explosion of anger, but it was also his battle with this force that was within him. He beat it."

"Yeah, he beat it! What's the problem?" Christine said.

**__**

I dunno, maybe he has to pay more taxes now?

"I'm justing saying this…Erik stayed alive and kept from being destroyed to avenge Celeste. But once Vagane is dead…the only reason Erik was able to stay alive will be gone. In other words, his will to live might go with Vagane, and if it does, Erik WILL wind up being obliverated. He'll do so willingly because he'll feel he has no purpose to live."

Goten thought back to how Erik said his friends and sister could get along without him. His only weakness was Celeste. Now she was dead, and Goten doubted that Erik remembered that with Dende back, the Dragon Balls could be revived and Celeste brought back. Or maybe he didn't believe the Dragon Balls could revive a human not from this dimension. He could very well "commit suicide" right after Vagane.

"Dear kami…you're right Gohan…but if he dies…what will be left…except possibly…"Goten said, feeling sick.

"Exactly Goten. With Erik gone, the power he commands could get full control of him…and if that happens…" Gohan said.

"Who whoa whoa, you're saying that after Erik kills Vagane, he might turn around and try and kill all of us too?" Ash said.

"Essentially, yeah…it could happen. I could just be being cynical, and Erik could very well keep full control and calm down…but he could also wind up trying to kill us!" Gohan said.

"Then if that happens, we will have to kill him. I think he would want it that way." Vegeta said, cracking his knuckles. He didn't like the idea of killing Erik any more then any of them did…but if it came down to him and his family, Vegeta knew his choice.

"Indeed Vegeta…that we may have to do…if we can." Gohan said. Now Vegeta looked angry.

"You baka, are you doubting my power? Erik might have "ascended", but in pure strength he'll be no match for me! I'm sure of it! He couldn't beat all of us!" Vegeta said.

"Maybe…in pure strength. If we had a scounter, Erik's "power level" may very well be lower then yours, Vegeta. But there's just one thing."

"What?"

"All the enemies and villians we fought…they used ki. From Freiza to Majin Buu, from Garlic Jr to Hildegarn, they all used ki. Even Agony's powers were enhanced by ki. What Erik is using…is NOT ki!"

"Then what is it?"

"Destruction itself."

Everyone was silent at Gohan's answer. Gohan was too, for a second.

"Ki is a power with many uses. It can be used to destroy, yes, but it also does many others things. It can heal, it can allow us to fly, and many other talents. It is a force with many facets, destruction just being one. And true, ki can cause incredible destruction, but in the end, that is just one facet of its use. We use it for all sorts of other things too! But not Erik. His power is the essense of ruin. It serves that purpose and no other purpose. I suspect if Erik flies, it will be because of his wings and not throught any use of his power at all. His power is that of annihalation. Nothing else. And for all I know…our power won't be able to stand up before it. It might cut through our ki blasts like nothing. We might not stand a chance against him, no matter how purely strong we are. We are strong…he is _lethal_. I don't know if we can match up. I pray I am wrong."

"And if you're not?" Ash asked.

Gohan looked at Redemption, who had nearly reached Vagane.

"Pray that Erik is strong enough to be able to cause death…and not want to embrace it."

Belinda ran with all her might, heading down the hallway at top speed. She had to, for her master's sake. Fortunately, she was close to what she needed.

She ran into the room and began entering the code. It was long, but she knew it by heart and had the fifty-digit passcode in in ten seconds.

She activated it.

The base was damaged, but it still functioned, and she felt it vibrate as it finally finished its purpose.

She headed back to Vagane. He needed her protection.

Various alarms went off as steam and smoke hissed from a black metal test tube. Slowly it opened. Liquid spilled out as the inside filled with smoke.

A foot stepped down outside the tube, a foot attacked to a muscular, naked, wet leg. There was a slight grunt and a flash of power, and then the leg was dry, and wearing a black boot that had a strangely patterned purple and blood-red outfit tucked into it.

Slowly, the man emerged. He was a lithe man, tall and rippling with hard muscle everywhere, as evidenced by his skintight purple and blood-red suit, although the blood red was the dominant colour. He had relatively short night-black hair, except for a very long series of bangs that fell over his right eye, much like Alicia's fleshy hair had. He was a handsome man.

And then there were his eyes.

If anyone saw them, the black lifeless pits would seem very familiar. They looked just like Agony's.

The man looked at his hands, which had long, strong fingers, and gave off a small, crazy giggle as he flexed them.

"I live."

His voice dripped with evil.

Erik was almost at Vagane, at the base of the hill now. One of the Valkyries was gone, if she was smart, she would stay gone.

The other two weren't so smart, as they launched themselves at Erik.

"YOU WON'T HARM THE-ARRGGHHHH!" one said as she leapt at Erik, right into Erik's outstretched hand talons. Seconds later, the body burst into flames. Erik jerked his arm to the side to get the burning body off his claws and moved on, the body quickly turning to ash behind him

"WON'T LET YOU-AAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" the other Valkyrie screamed as Erik ducked, slashing out his right wing and cutting the Valkyrie in half. Blood sprayed from the severed body, and it it too ignited, burning away with the sound of sizzling blood.

And then Vagane was alone.

Smirking, Erik began making his way up the small hill.

Spike nearly ran into her as he ran down the hall. Vagane, as a final annoyance, had forgotten to post "Exit" signs around, and hence Spike had quickly gotten completely lost while looking for a way out. And so he had wandered around until he met her.

At first he thought she was a Valkyrie, but that quickly changed. All the Valkyries had short hair and one colour outfits. This girl had long hair, down to her hips, and a bizzare patterned outfit that consisted of the colours purple and blood red, although the purple was stronger. Her hair was the same blood-red colour, although it was a tad lighter then Redemption's. She appeared to be looking at her feet as Spike nearly ran into her.

"Whoa! Hey lady, don't scare me like that! Errr, who are you?"

The girl ignored him, heading on. Spike watched her go.

"Hey lady! I wouldn't go that way! There's this guy who just got really strong and wants to destroy anything that crossed his path!"

The woman stopped and looked back at him, and Spike recoiled. Her eyes were so terrible they even scared him.

"I know." She whispered, and turned her head back and kept walking. Spike stared after her, then decided to follow her. He had to see this.

Vagane looked in horror as Redemption made his way up before him. He began tapping keys, and a tube extended and fired a blue beam at Erik. It just bounced off Erik before the beam seemed to turn red and turn back into the tube, which exploded. Vagane jerked as that part of his hoverchair was destroyed, and then frantically pressed more keys. His main cannon extended from the back of his chair, but Erik snapped out his hand as a little sliver of red enegry flew out, slashing the cannon off at the base and carrying it away, where it exploded. Vagane yelped as shrapnal pelted his back, then looked back up at Erik.

Erik's hair blew around his head as he looked at Vagane, a sheen of colour that indicated what was to come.

"They say what you do in life…echoes in eternity." Erik whispered.

Then he snapped out his fingers as twin sets of talons emerged, each over two feet long, barbed, and as black as pitch. Red lightning crackled on them, the blades coming out of Erik's elbows, and Erik's metal wings. The front of Vagane's hoverchair began to melt.

"Well Vagane…then eternity shall echo…with your scream!" Erik hissed.

And then the blast came out of nowhere, flying from behind and over Vagane, a black blast of incredible power. Erik's eyes widened.

"NO!" Erik screamed as the blast slammed into him, knocking him right off his feet and carrying him away from Vagane. "VAGAAAAAAANNNNNEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

And then Erik flew out of the ruin of the Kingdom and crashed into a mountain. The blast seemed to reach around and collaspe the mountain on Erik before it exploded, burying him completely. Everyone gasped as this happened.

Then they looked to where the blast had come, as Vagane, panting with relief, looked as well.

The man and the woman stood there, each with one arm out. The man laughed, and the woman licked her lips almost seductively as they lowered their arms at the same time. Everyone stared at them.

And then Belinda was at Vagane's side, panting, her head bowed.

"Master…I activated them…I hope you are not angry with me…" Belinda gasped. Vagane looked at the girl and smiled.

"No Belinda, I am quite pleased. You saved my life."

**__**

Not for long asshole! Any second now Erik is gonna blow his way out of that mountain and he's gonna shove your head so far up your ass…uh…any second now…Erik…you're making me look bad here!

The man and woman blurred away and reappeared next to Vagane. At close range, everyone could see the resemblence.

The Z Fighters gasped. The Legacy was shocked, and even Buffy was disturbed by the eys of the two people who had saved Vagane.

Erik did not emerge.

"A pity…he was part of my plan…but unfortunately for him, he was the smaller piece, and no match for the fruits of my Messiah Project…ancient power is no match for my genius. I should have seen that. No matter." Vagane said.

"Dear kami…they look like…" Goten said, unable to say the rest.

"Ah, good for you, Son Goten. Bravo. What you see before you is something I have tried many times before, but failed. The closest I ever came was a dismal failure, and was killed while fighting for some robot. You should know her, Legacy. I believe she called herself Misery."

"Misery…"Ash said, remembering her. (Editor's Note: Another story of mine, don't ask). He had never made the connection before, but now it seemed so obvious.

"You are right. She was my most successful attempt to clone my daughter…she was a failure. I simply could not seem to get it. Finally, I understood. I couldn't just MAKE a new Agony. I had to breed her. And at long last, I have succeeded, thanks to your world."

"That's why…you TOOK MY WIFE! AND MY FATHER!" Gohan raged.

"Indeed Son Gohan. Meet your son." Vagane said, gesturing to the man. Gohan felt his heart turn to ice.

"Well, in a sense. I used the fetus conceived by you and your wife, But I got rid of all the useless genetic material I didn't need, which was nearly all of it. Instead, I implemented my daughter's in it, along with a good many other…improvements. And for power…I gave them the might of Son Goku. They are perfect. They are the son and daughter of Agony…my children as well…my truly greatest creations." 

"Father…" the woman purred.

"Ah yes, that title should't just go to me. Goten…meet your daughter."

The woman smiled evily at Goten. Goten nearly threw up.

"Belinda…" Vagane said, addressing the last surviving Valkyrie. "You have served me well. You have survived where all your sisters have perished."

Belinda looked happy. That looked faded as the man and woman suddenly surrounded her.

"Master…?"

"I shall honour you by being the first in my ascent. You will be remembered."

"MASTER! NO!" Belinda screamed.

And then the two fell on her. The man's fingers hooked into her neck and tore open her caratoid artery, drinking the blood. Belinda screamed, and then the woman transformed her hands into blades and jammed them into her chest. Belinda gurgled, and then the woman tore her heart out. The woman took a few last laps of blood and dropped the body as his sister offered him the heart. They each took a bite of one side, savouring it.

Spike, watching off in the distance, suddenly felt hungry.

Vegeta swallowed hard as memories came flooding back to him, memories of terrible things done to ones he loved.

"YOU…ARRGGGHHHHHH!" Vegeta screamed, and threw a ki blast at them.

It struck the woman in her right eye and blew half her head clean off in a gout of blood. She slumped to the ground, then turned back to Vegeta. The remaining half of her mouth smiled.

"So this is the sweetness called pain…" the woman crooned, and then flesh erupted from the hole in her head, forming out a new skull that was covered with pink muscles. Black energy then flowed over it, and then vanished, and the woman's face was unmarked.

"Thanks." The woman purred.

"My children…have you chosen names for yourself?" Vagane asked.

"Yes father…I am Riot." Said the male.

"I am Bloodbath." Said the female.

"Lovely names, they truly suit you…just like your mother. You see, my foes, my daughter had the power to steal souls, but she never did anything with them but torment them. That is a waste. She could have derived far more power from them then she thought she could…for the soul is an extremely powerful energy. But until I cloned her, I could not access that power…but now…IT IS MINE!" Vaagne said as he held up his hands. 

Riot and Bloodbath each grabbed a hand, and then blue power exploded from their hands and flowed into Vagane. For a second, you could almost hear a scream, Belinda's scream, and then the power vanished into Vagane.

He shook as if in the fit of an epeiletic seizure, his head leaning down as he panted.

Then he raised his head off. Everyone gaped at him. He no longer at any grey in his hair or short bead.

"It is even greater then I dreamed…IT IS AMAZING!" Vagane said as he lifted up the front of his hoverchair.

And he stood up. His legs were as strong as a healthy twenty year old's, which is exactly what he looked like.

Belinda's soul had restorsed his youth and healed his broken body.

"Ah…that is better…it is good to stand again…" Vagane said, looking at the Z Warriors, Legacy, and Buffy. "Now you see why I showed mercy so many times. I wanted as many as you alive as I could. You all have souls with power beyond belief, especially the warriors of this world. I want those souls. They will start me off. The souls of life as in numbers beyond counting…and my children will grant all their power to me, until I AM THE NEW CREATION!" Vagane screamed in triumph.

"Never!" Vegeta yelled, as everyone took battle positions.

**__**

Ok, so lemme get this straight…not only are we dealing with TWO Agonys…we'll dealing with two Agonys SUPERCHARGED ON GOKU'S POWER? Enough power to knock Erik off his rocker? Antie Em, I want to go back to Kanses!

"Where is Erik?" Christine said.

"He's dead. There won't be any comebacks. No one can survive a blast from me!" Riot crowed, laughing.

"Father…what do you wish?"

Vagane looked at the group before them.

"Kill them all."

And Riot and Bloodbath flew at the assembled group. The battle was over. It was time for the war.

__

Next Chapter: ARMAGEDDON!

To Be Continued!

Writer's Note: Maybe I'm just full of myself, but did anyone else have Spirit vs Spirit playing in their head when Erik became Redemption?

Come ON Nik Nak, did you REALLY think I was gonna kill Spike off? GOTCHA!

I like my reviews like I like my women: LONG! Um wait…that makes no sense at all. Just give me a long review then.

Got you too, Ian! Current score: Ash:6, You: ZIP! MWAHAHHAHAHA! And by the way, you wanted more gore? You got it. SO QUIT BUGGING ME!


	7. Armageddon

Chapter 7: Armageddon

__

"Bravery is the capacity to perform properly even when scared half to death."

Omar Bradley

"How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it." 

Marcus Aurelius

"In a controversy the instant we feel anger we have already ceased striving for the truth, and have begun striving for ourselves." 

Thomas Carlyle

"Indulge not thyself in the passion of anger; it is whetting a sword to wound thine own breast, or murder thy friend."

Akhenaton

Surprisingly, Riot and Bloodbath did not dive into the thick of things immediately. As they flew away from Vagane, they seemingly stopped short, landing twenty feet in front of the assembled group of warriors.

Riot stayed on his feet, while Bloodbath knelt over, smirking an evil grin that was all too familiar to the Z Warriors. It was just like her mother's.

"So many to kill…it's so hard to choose." Bloodbath chuckled.

"Smorgasboard." Riot giggled, licking his lips.

Everyone looked at each other, and then looked back at the two.

"GET THEM!"

Everyone leapt at the twin demons.

Riot smirked and pointed.

Bloodbath thrust up her hand.

A gigantic black explosion consumed the demon children and enveloped the charging Legacy members and Z Warriors, blowing them away like gnats before a hurricane. The explosion blasted a crator in a mile radius.

The power washed over Vagane, but it didn't harm a hair on his head. Instead, he laughed as it flowed over him, before it exploded upward in a massive smoke cloud.

The smoke cleared around the two demon children, as they looked back and forth. One way, the Legacy was getting to their feet. Another way, the Z Warriors were getting to theirs.

"Who gets the more powerful and therefore tastier souls to devour?" Riot asked. Bloodbath glanced at her brother.

"Rock, paper, scissors?"

"You're on." Riot chuckled, and the two put their hands in front of them.

"ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS!"

Riot had Paper, Bloodbath Scissors.

"Damn. Very well sis, you may have the warriors of this world. But please, save one or two of the more succulant souls for me…I want to say goodbye to Daddy beforehand."

"I will brother." Bloodbath smirked.

The two seperated, each heading towards a group.

Divide.

Conquer.

Annihalate.

Ash spat blood as Riot landed in front of him and his teammates. A quick glance confirmed that no one was injured severely. That blast had been designed to somehow separate the two groups, and it had worked. The degree of precision in such an insanely powerful blast made Ash shudder.

In the corner of his eye, Ash realized that his mother had joined their group, leaving her previous safety. Ash wanted to chastise her, but then he realized that here or anywhere, the result may very well be the same.

Another thing caught Ash's eyes. Apparently Buffy was with them as well. The girl was truly tough if she had taken that blast. But would she be tough enough?

"So…I get to destroy you…pity. I wanted the Z Warriors."

**__**

You're welcome to them! Your sis should share! Go have some!

"Shut up Soulfire. He's planning to kill us anyway, whether you try and pawn him off on the Z Warriors or not." Ash said. "So, you are the child of Vagane. You are as hideous as I expected."

"Hideous? Along with being weak, are you blind?" Riot chuckled, running his hand through his long sheath of black bangs. "You wish you had looks like this."

"No, actually…I don't." Ash said. "I would rather be dead then you."

"I will make that so." Riot chuckled. "Oh please, do you think you can win? Do you think some speech on how you must defend humanity will grant you some miracle? Humanity is obsolete. Vagane took the building block, erased all the weakness and imperfections, altered it with his genius…and created I. My sister and I are perfection. That Cell creature wasn't even close. We are the ultimate in life, in survival. Just like all those father will create once we have given him your souls. You wish to fight for humanity? Humanity has been surpassed. All that is left…are bodies to ravage, minds to torment…and souls to devour."

"Never…" Ash hissed, growing angrier and angrier. "GET HIM!"

The Legacy exploded into action, scattering and moving into the assault. Buffy also moved, although whether she was listening to Ash or following her own initiative, Ash didn't know.

"Oh please…I am as strong as my sister and she possesses the power to annihalate the warriors of THIS world! You stand no chance against me! But if you wish to be shown this in a way that will be so painful…it'll be more fun for me!"

Rod and William leapt at Riot, swinging their swords, but Riot thrust out both his fists and knocked the two men flying backwards as they crashed violently into the ground. Victoria and Lindsay, claws snapping onto their hands, jumped Riot from behind, but the clone somehow sensed them and leapt upward, snapping up both his legs and thrusting them into the girl's faces. They also flew and violently crash landed.

"Morons." Riot said, looking behind him at the sprawled bodies of Victoria and Lindsay.

Then a powerful kick came crashing into his face, causing him to stumble, and then Buffy slammed twin jabs into his stomach, wrapped her arm Riot's neck, and leapt and twisted, breaking Riot's neck so violently his head was nearly twisted off. Buffy landed and flipped away.

She expected to see Riot down and dead. She had not expected to see Riot still standing. Nor to hear him laugh as he reached up and righted his head with a sickening crunch.

"You obviously have no idea where I come from." Riot chuckled, and then lifted his hand as black power came to life in his palm. "But I ain't no vampire!"

Buffy leapt up and away from Riot's blast, spiralling down and kicking Riot across the face, smashing him with a backhand, sending him stumbling backwards with a thrust kick, and then flipping a reverse 360 degrees and smashing Riot with the heel of her foot. He fell, and she cocked back her arm. She wasn't pulling her punch. This one would go right through Riot's heart.

Then Riot's arm shot up and gripped Buffy by the throat. Buffy gasped as she was dangled off the ground by the clone. He'd been playing with her the whole time.

"You bore me." Riot said.

Then he smashed his fist across Buffy's face, and Buffy staggered, stars exploding in her vision. Then Riot reared back and threw her through the air. Buffy crash-landed badly, laying in a bloody broken heap. She had simply been outclassed.

"YEAH! RAH RAH RAH!" Spike said from where he hid, jumping up and down in a cheerleader-like fashion, flush with joy at Riot's utter manhandling of the Slayer.

**__**

Um, Ash, that guy just trashed a 1/3 of our number in less then ten seconds!

"SHUT UP SOULFIRE, AND DO WHAT YOU WERE MEANT TO DO: CUT!" Ash yelled as he slashed at Riot. Riot blurred away and reappeared behind Ash, using a bare fraction of his strength to kick him in the back. Ash flew forward, but flipped in mid-air, firing a blast from the Soulfire. Riot whacked it aside with a finger.

"You call that a blast?" Riot chuckled, and then dark energy erupted on his hand. "THIS IS A BLAST!"

Ash thrust up the Soulfire to block as Riot thrust his hand forward, firing a huge dark energy flare that enveloped Ash. Christine shrieked as it consumed her husband.

"HA! He lives up to his name!" Riot laughed. The smoke cleared to reveal Ash standing there, badly burned and blackened, and breathing heavily.

**__**

Oh sure, put ME in front of you…

Ash was too tired to tell the Soulfire to shut up, as Christine came to his side and his remaining team members backed him up. This was going to be the hardest battle he had ever fought in his life.

The Z Fighters had all regained their senses when Bloodbath landed almost daintly in front of them, smiling and looking at Goten.

"Hello! I will be your killer today!" Bloodbath chirped. Everyone glared daggers at her, but Bloodbath kept looking at Goten.

"Mother suffered greatly as I was removed. It was delicious." Bloodbath chuckled. Goten felt his blood start to boil.

"You…you…BITCH!" Goten hissed. Bloodbath suddenly looked sad.

"Awwww…did I make you mad…DADDY?"

Goten shrieked.

"YOU ARE NOT MY DAUGHTER!" he screamed, as he thrust out his hand and barranged Bloodbath with ki blasts, consumed the area around her with explosions. Goten didn't stop, firing blasts until he was completely out of energy. He hunched over, gasping.

The smoke cleared to reveal a nightmarish sight of Bloodbath a twisted wreck of fried muscle and blackened bone. Her whole face had been burrned off and smashed. But somehow she still laughed as black energy flowed over her, healing her wounds. In two seconds, she was whole again.

"Oh…but I am…father…for while Vagane made me…you supplied the base. Your blood flows in my veins…and when I'm done, your blood will be everywhere!"

"ARRGGHHHHHHH!" Goten screamed, as he blasted at Bloodbath.

Bloodbath dodged aside from Goten's blow and struck, slamming her fist into Goten's chest so hard it bulged out his back. Goten gasped as blood flew out of his mouth as he instinctively doubled over, and then Bloodbath thrust out her leg and kicked Goten, sending him crashing into a rock face which crumbled onto him.

"I certainly didn't get my endurance from you." Bloodbath chuckled, and turned to look at the remaining Z Warriors.

"Stay behind me." Vegeta said, putting himself in front of Bra and Trunks.

"But father…"

"Do it!" Vegeta said, as he glowered at Bloodbath.

"Ah you…you are the one called Vegeta. My mother had great fun with you the last time she was here…I will have to see if I can top her…but I think I can." Bloodbath said, turning her fingers into knives.

Vegeta snarled as golden energy exploded around him and lanced into his hair, turning it gold as well as he went SSJ.

"You will not repeat your mother's deeds. I will destroy you, for your crimes and hers!" Vegeta snarled, clenching his fists.

Bloodbath smiled, as she brought up her knife-fingers.

"Ah, so pretty…can I try?"

Vegeta's eyebrow arched. What was she…?

Then Bloodbath screamed as golden energy exploded around her, and everyone gasped in sheer horror as her hair turned the same gold as Vegeta's, replacing the blood-red colour. Vegeta began to shake in fear.

"N-N-NO! IMPOSSIBLE! ONLY ONE WITH A SAIYA-JIN'S BLOOD CAN DO THAT! YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" Vegeta screamed, in defiance and fear. SSJ Bloodbath smiled.

"Son Goku's very essense surges through me. Everything that made him the warrior he is is mine to command…blood does not matter in this case. I got to take some of his unique attributes…including this. You were saying, Vegeta?"

Vegeta's lips skinned away from his teeth as he clenched his fist. The ground around him began to shatter and levitate around him.

"You are a blasphemy, just like your mother. I WILL NOT LET HISTORY REPEAT ITSELF! ON ALL I HOLD HOLY, YOU WILL NOT SPILL ONE DROP OF MY NOBLE BLOOD!!!!!!!!!" Vegeta roared, as he blasted at Bloodbath, pistoning out his hand and slamming it right between her eyes.

He expected her to be thrown.

He expected her skull to be smashed in half.

He did not expect her to be utterly unfazed.

Slowly, Bloodbath reached up and grabbed Vegeta's hand, pulling it away from her face as if she was studying it.

Then, so quickly even Vegeta didn't see it, she pistoned out her knee and slammed it into Vegeta's gut. Vegeta gasped and then gurgled as blood spilled from his mouth and ran down his chin.

"Liar." Bloodbath whispered.

Then she threw Vegeta aside like he was made of paper. Vegeta screamed as he bounced along the ground and finally crashed into another cliff face.

Bloodbath smiled at her work, and then the gold faded from her hair, turning back to its blood red colour as she looked at Bra and Trunks, who were recovering from her effortless dispoal of their father. Their looks of fury matched his.

"So, who else feels like dying?" Bloodbath laughed.

"Father…she can go SSJ…"Pan half whimpered, quite terrified.

"No Pan…I don't think so…but I think she can mimic it for a short time." Gohan said in fear. Bloodbath had done more then stolen his father's power, she had stolen every single aspect of him.

"Come on! One at a time or all at once, it doesn't matter! The end result will be the same! You shall help Father ascend to his throne of Creation."

Their cry was one.

****

"NEVER!"

Riot laughed again at the remaining Legacy members in front of him. He seemed to have an unnerving habit of finding everything amusing.

"So what now? Cut me down?" Riot said. "Well, I may as well amuse myself and draw it out. Have at you, Legacy!"

And then Riot reached over and clunched his biceps, and then he screamed as his fingers tore into the muscle, ripping into his own arms. Everyone gasped as Riot clenched his fingers and then literally yanked his own bones out of his arms.

**__**

The hand bones's connect to the wrist bone, the wrist bone is connected to…ah damn you, you screwed up my song!

Ash nearly threw up as Riot somehow held up his own arm bones, as the wounds healed and closed, the marrow structure undoubtingly being replaced. Them spurs and sharp barbs erupted on the bones as they morphed in shape, and suddenly Riot was holding twin bone swords, still stained in his own blood.

"Come one, come all! Face annihalation at the hands of ultimate evil!"

**__**

Sorry, you're still in second place compared to Pokemon.

Ash didn't reply, as he twirled his sword and charged again, backed up by his allies.

It was quite a battle as everyone swung or slashed their weapons at Riot and he blocked and parried as if he had been using swords his whole life. Ash and Christine leapt to one side of him, but Riot fired off several blasts and Ash went sprawling. Christine slashed her bladestaff downward from behind Riot, only to have him catch it and pull Christine up and over his head, hurling her into Ash as he tried to get up.

Brigh leapt back.

"SCREAMS OF THE DAMNED!" Bright said, and then he began rapidly throwing energy-charged daggers at Riot, the blades seemingly coming from nowhere as they barraged the clone. The daggers tore through him or were impaled in him, but Riot just laughed, opening up his arms and letting Brigh turn him into a pincushion.

"Ohhh, that felt good." Riot said, as all the daggers melted, the wounds healing up as Brigh gaped at him.

Then a concentrated stream of fire struck Riot in the back, frying away his flesh. But Riot held his smile, turning around to face Chastity as her fire burned his flesh off. But the flesh just kept coming back.

"You're a hot one. Maybe I'll amuse myself with you before I turn you into a corpse." Riot smiled. Chastity stopped her flames, put her hands together, and hurled her Heavenly Dynamite flame bomb at Riot. Riot smiled and whacked it into the distance with one of his swords.

Spike gasped as the bomb flew towards him. He ran, but he was a little too slow and was hit as the bomb hit the ground and exploded, throwing tongues of flame everywhere.

"YAAAARRRGGGGHHHHH! MY BUTT'S ON FIRE! MY BUTT'S ON FIRE!" Spike yelled, running around as the back of his pants burned. He finally sat down, banging his rear against the ground as he tried to put out the flames.

"Anyone else?" Riot said.

Angie grit her teeth.

"COME ON GUYS!" Angie yelled, and twirled her staff and thrust it up.

The ground exploded under Riot, consuming him. Diana thrust back her staff and swung it forward, throwing a glowing white ball of power into the explosion. Paul fired off a huge blue laser at the same time, and the explosion tripled, blowing rock and smoke everywhere.

Then laughter came out as Riot blew away the smoke, his broken and charred flesh healing into new flesh.

"Hey, not bad! You actually wrecked my swords." Riot said, indicating the blackened hilts of his now destroyed bone swords. He threw them aside as the Legacy assembled again.

"Sis." Ash said.

"It'll take more then that to put me down." Victoria said. Lindsay nodded. Rod and William were silent as they joined their companions.

Ash stared at Riot for a second, his eyes hard, and then he spoke.

"All our powers in a combined, concentrated effort. Ready?"

"Yes!"

'DO IT!"

"FALSE MESSIAH!"

"ROYAL HUNTRESS!"

"BLOOD BULLSEYE!"

"PHANTOM DESTRUCTION!"

"DRAGON GENOCIDE!"

"SOUL SURVIVOR!"

"GROUND ZERO!"

"NAIL IN THE COFFIN!"

"SHADOW BANISHMENT!"

"INVITING HELL!"

"DEATH ROSE!"

Eleven beams of incredible power shot at Riot, of all shapes, sizes, and colours. They struck him and the ground exploded away from him as he was consumed.

"Give it everything you've got!" Ash yelled, holding his False Messiah attack. "Let's show this asshole the trouble he gets when he takes on the Legacy!"

The minor Z Warriors, knowing how little they could do if they attacked Bloodbath alone, decided the best thing to do was gang up on her. Hence, as the Z Warriors blurred away, Bloodbath suddenly found herself surrounded by Chaozu, Tien, Yamcha, Krillian, Eighteen, and Seventeen.

"NOW!"

Six golden beams of energy exploded from the warrior's hands, all zeroing in on the murderous female.

Bloodbath laughed and spun around like a ballerina, whacking all the attacks away and back at their throwers like nothing. Everyone yelped and jumped out of the way as each blast flew past them, barely missing before they exploded off in the distance. One even blew up near the Legacy group as their continued their energy pressure on Riot.

**__**

Dammit, you idiots! Riot's trashing us badly enough as it is, we don't need you guys to help!

"Is that your best?" Bloodbath laughed.

"SWARM HER!"

But as the six warriors blasted at Bloodbath, the woman flew up into the air as the tips of all her fingers glowed with black power. Then she laughed and thrust her hands down as she sent an onslaught of spreading ki needles raining down on the ground.

The group tried to scatter, but the beams were everywhere, piercing and raining down on the ground as the group screamed as one. Then the explosions consumed them. Bloodbath kept blasting, destroying the ground around the group as she laughed in joy.

Seventeen flew up from the explosions, his body smoking. Bloodbath grabbed him out of the air.

"Yummy!"

Then she thrust her hand into his side, blood exploding from where she thrust her hand as she tore right through his abdomen and ripped out his liver. Seventeen screamed at the terrible pain and violation, and then Bloodbath dropped him down on the ground. Seventeen groaned, clutching the hole and trying to get his mechanical systems to help him with the damage.

Bloodbath lifted up the liver and took a bite, then another one, savouring the bloody organ.

"Hmmm…has a rather metallic undertone…odd, I suddenly have the urge to say something clever about fava beans and chianti." Bloodbath said as she finished eating the liver, looking down at the smoke cleared to reveal the limp, smoking bodies of her remaining four opponents…four?

"Seventeen…here!" Yamcha said as he gave a Senzu to the badly injured andriod. Seventen ate it down and grimanced at the pain as his liver rebuilt.

"Thank you…how…?"

"Everyone gathered all our Senzus into one bag. I got to be the carrier. Quick, let's…!"

"Die?" Bloodbath said.

Then she fired a huge black blast at the two.

Yamcha tried to flee, but he wasn't fast enough, and he screamed as the blast consumed him and Seventeen, sending both their bodies flying and crashing back to earth. The lone bag of remaining Senzus flew through the air, torn from Yamcha's hand. Bloodbath smiled and aimed at it.

Goten slammed into her from behind, driving her into the ground as he pummeled her back. He pushed, digging the two them into a deeper hole, before Bloodbath screamed and blasted energy upward, blowing open a huge crator where she had been buried. She flew away and turned. Her cruel smile returned.

"Daddy!"

Goten's punch knocked her head right off, blood gouting from her neck in fountains. Goten didn't stop, grabbing the headless body and causing ki to explode through it, blowing it to pieces. Blood soaked Goten.

Then black energy exploded into existence, drawing the pieces together. Just like her mother. Goten let loose with another barange of ki blasts, but it was futile as the pieces reformed and healed.

"Wahhhhh! Daddy doesn't love me!" Bloodbath mocked cried. Then her eyes filled with cruel joy.

"So I guess I'll have to…"

"MAKKANKOSAPPO!"

Bloodbath jerked as the spiral beam blasted through her back. But she didn't fall, as she looked down at the huge smoking hole in her chest, burned intestines hanging out.

"No, I don't think I have to Makkankosappo." Bloodbath said, turning towards Piccolo. She sighed as the hole closed up. "But I do love it when you do it. A girl does so love having holes blow through her internal organs. However can I repay you? Oh, I know!"

Then she thrust her hands forward, firing a huge black blast. Piccolo leapt over it, firing off two more Makkankosappo's that blew off Bloodbath's head and right arm. Blood sprayed, but then Bloodbath blurred away.

Piccolo whirled around, firing another Makkansappo.

It just fired at empty air. Thre was no one there.

Then Bloodbath blurred into existence behind Piccolo, her hair flaring up and going gold again.

"Gotcha!"

Then she grabbed his white cloak, and Piccolo gasped as it suddenly contracted around his neck. He tried to rip it off, but it seemed to have become stronger then steel as it continued to contract. Bloodbath floated up, yanking on the cloak as she hanged Piccolo with his own clothes. Piccolo tried to blast her, but he couldn't get a shot lined up due to the angle. Soon, all he could concentrate on was his total lack of air.

"Watch me! I can make the green man turn blue!" Bloodbath laughed.

Trunks's kick crushed her face inward, sending Bloodbath flying backwards. Bra blurred into existence behind the clone and smashed her with a cracking axe kick, breaking her back. Bloodbath flew back into Trunks's eager fists and the two siblings pummeled the woman back and forth like a bizzare ping-pong game.

"ARGH!" Bloodbath screamed, as black energy covered her body and she slashed at the siblings. Trunks and Bra dodged out of the way, and then they both spun in mid-air and smashed Bloodbath down into the ground with a simultaneous flip kick.

"Get ready!" Trunks said as he signaled. Goten suddenly found Gohan, Pan, and Ubuu at his side.

"We're all gonna hit her at once. Get ready!"

"Right!" Goten said as he thrust his hands to the side.

Bloodbath flipped to her feet. Trunks and Bra blurred away as she fired a series of black blasts into the sky at them.

Piccolo blurred into existence behind her.

"Gotcha." He snarled.

Then he smashed Bloodbath with an uppercut, sending her shooting into the air in an uncontrollable spin.

"NOW!" Gohan yelled, and thrust his hands up. "KAMEHAMEHA!"

"KAMEHAMEHA!"

"KAMEHAMEHA!"

"KAMEKAMEHA!"

The four beams that had become a family's signature attack, even as Goten, in his mental state, screwed up the name like he had when he was a kid, blasted from the hands of the four and flew at Bloodbath as she righted herself. She watched the attack bear down on her.

"Oh, so that's how it's done." Bloodbath said, and thrust her hands to her side.

Gohan's eyes widened.

"What?"

"KAMEHAMEHA!" Bloodbath yelled, and thrust her hands out as she fired a gigantic black blast at the four.

Everyone gasped in horror, both at Bloodbath doing the Kamehameha and how her blast shattered their combined four like it was nothing, blazing through their attack and barreling directly at them.

"MOVE!" Gohan yelled as everyone dove for cover.

The explosion shook the earth, shaking everyone still conscious to the very bone. A massive mushroom cloud bloomed upward from the blast zone as Bloodbath laughed. Far away, Vagane shared his daughter's laugh.

Gohan and Pan emerged from the smoke, shaken. They hadn't been hurt, but the fact that Bloodbath had done what she had done had badly disturbed them. Bloodbath continued to laugh as she floated down to the ground, landing on a cliff face.

"Please. You think your silly attacks can harm me? Wrong-o!" Bloodbath laughed, waving a finger.

"YAAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHHH!'

Bloodbath glanced to the side as Vegeta exploded up from where he had been buried, a vein on his forehead pulsing and his eyes blazing.

"You want to toy with us? Well then, SO BE IT!" Vegeta screamed, and then red energy exploded around him and enveloped him, before blasting out to reveal him in SSJ4 mode.

Trunks and Bra floated down beside him. Bra went SSJ with a shriek, and Trunks also screamed as he went SSJ2.

"Let's join the club." Goten growled, and screamed himself as golden lightning crackled on him before golden smoke flowed around him and flowed away as Goten powered up to SSJ3. Gohan growled as he charged up his Mystic talent to its highest level. Then his eyes widened as Pan screamed and went SSJ.

"Pan…when did…?"

"Later Dad. Let's just kick her ass." Pan snarled. Bloodbath looked around at all the people who floated up to surround her. Piccolo and Ubuu floated up as well, each powering up to their maximum.

"Well now, it's finally getting interesting." Bloodbath said, and then the storm came crashing down.

Ash peered down the length of his blast, staring at the inferno of power that was raging at the apex of the combined attack.

"Amazing! I can't even see him any more, but I think he's still standing!"

**__**

Well if that's the case Ash, don't stand there yakking, TURN UP THE JUICE!

The blast from the Soulfire widened, as if on its own.

From her vantage point, Buffy watched as her vision blurred and cleared. She'd been hit plenty of times, but the sheer power of Riot's blow had amazed her. As she fought to stay conscious, she watched the Legacy keep up their combined blast. She was beginning to wish she could do that.

"Getting tired…" Chastity panted.

"Don't give up! We can't!" Christine said.

"No…Can't…totally spent…" Chastity said, her attack of searing flame falling off.

It was like a chain reaction, as Diana let off next, and then William, and eventually everyone else. Their efforts had exhausted them.

"All right…all right…give it a rest! After all that, there's NO way Riot could still be standing…" Ash said, hoping against hope his words were true, as he ceased his own blast, staring at the ruin before him.

The smoke began to clear.

Riot's figure was a twisted burnt skeleton, barely standing on ruined legs. It had no flesh left.

Somehow, he laughed.

Ash watched in despair as the flesh began rebuilding itself rapidly. He thought of shooting more power at Riot, but he knew it would just be futile.

Within seconds, Riot was whole again. He ran his fingers through his long bangs.

"Whoooo! Not half bad! That actually gave me a really good feeling!" Riot crowed, before he looked at the exhausted Legacy members. "And I'll be feeling ever better in a second!"

"Look out! Here he…" Ash tried to warn.

Then Riot smashed into the group like a malevolent wrecking ball, smashing them apart like pins. He battered the powerless Chastity unconscious with fists of steel and then hurled her headlong into Brigh so hard it knocked the thief senseless too. William's armour shattered as Riot floored him with one punch. Victoria went down to a leaping thrust kick. Lindsay tried to turn into a dragon, but she was too slow as Riot slammed her with an uppercut, sending her limp body crashing into a cliff face.

"Who's next?" Riot laughed, then his eyes fell on Diana. "Ah you! I believe you haven't had a beating yet!"

"NO!" Ash said, furiously attacking Riot, chopping at his arms. Riot laughed and backhanded Ash away, as he charged up a blast to fire at Diana.

"Mother, RUN!" Ash screamed.

Rod looked at the spectacle, his anger growing.

"No one wrecks my family, not you, not anyone!" Rod said, pulling back his sword as blue and white energy exploded on it. He was old. He was tired. He knew this very well could kill him. But he knew he had to do it. Just like his blade was named after an ultimate evil of humanity, maybe his grand attack named after another act of ultimate evil could annihalte this evil that stood before him.

"FINAL SOLUTION!" Rod yelled. Riot turned towards the yell.

Then Rod threw his sword, the massive blade flying through the air and impaling through Riot. Riot looked down as it glowed.

"What?"

Then he vanished in a blinding white light as a literal nuclear explosion consumed him. A mushroom cloud ploomed upward from the blast. Rod would normally worry about the radiation, but at this point he was more worried about Riot.

**__**

Sorry Ash! You and Christine won't be having any little heroes now!

"Shut up." Ash hissed, as the smoke cleared. Surely not even…

The smoke cleared to reveal nothing but Rod's blade lying on the ground.

Rod sighed.

Then black energy exploded into being, pulling up hunks of blackened bone as a familiar laugh filled the air. Rod gasped as Riot reformed himself. He had withstood being at ground zero of a nuclear blast.

"That was fun!" Riot said.

And Rod could only depair as he passed out, his body utterly spent.

"Aw, that was it? I wanted another one!" Riot said in disappointment. "Now what can I do for fun…oh yes, I remember!" Riot said as he turned back to Diana.

Only to find her running away.

"Hey, no fair! Well, no matter…" Riot said as black energy exploded on his hands and he cocked his arm back.

Ash slammed into him as he tried to throw it, making the blast go wide. However, it still struck at Diana's heels, sending her flying with a cry. Buffy's eyes widened, and then she was knocked silly as Diana flew into her. Both the Slayer and priest slumped to the ground, although Buffy had lessened the blow for her. Ash, in a part of him that wasn't suddenly filled with murderous rage, appreciated Buffy for it.

"ARGH!" Ash screamed, as he went into another fury of sword slashes. Riot dodged them all and blasted Ash backwards, laughing.

"ANCIENT WHEEL!" Christine yelled as she began spinning her bladestaff around. A circle of power formed around it, and then a myraid of small energy projectiles flew from it, blowing off parts of Riot and blasting through him.

"RIDE THE LIGHTNING!" Angie yelled, thrusting up her staff. A bolt of gigantic yellow power blasted down onto Riot, frying him.

"MELTDOWN!" Paul yelled, and fired a white nuclear bolt at the place where Riot was. Another explosion blasted the ground where he was, consuming him.

Ash stood, sword up, panting. Waiting.

Black energy was already flowing over Riot when he reappeared, vanishing back into him to reveal no injuries. Ash grit his teeth. So be it.

"Ash…" Christine said as Riot walked towards her husband. Then she saw what Ash was doing. "ASH! I'LL GIVE YOU STRENGTH!"

Christine spun her staff, concetrating on her ultimate technique. Unlike all the other's, hers was not offensive. It was an enhancing technique.

"HEROICS…MIRACLE!"

And then Ash felt the power in him, so gentle and yet so fierce, a voice whispering in his ear of her love for him and yet screaming for Riot's death. Ash began to glow with a white aura as his power increased expontially. He would just have it for a short while, but that was all he needed.

**__**

No speeches!

"Yes Soulfire. Right to the point. Ultimate Technique…" Ash whispered, and then his voice built into a scream. "ALL CREATION'S CATACLYSM!"

And then Ash dashed at Riot. Riot's eyes widened with interest.

"What have we here?"

Then Ash was slashing at him. Riot laughed and put up his arm to block.

The Soulfire slashed right through Riot's arm. Riot only got a moment to be shocked before Ash went into an insane barrage of slashes, ripping, tearing, and burning through Riot's body, chopping it into shiskebob. After about fifty or so slashes, Ash stopped.

All the pieces in Riot's body seemed to float in the air as Ash leapt backwards, spun his sword in a circle, and then thrust it out in front of him.

"DIE!"

A huge bolt of blue power flew from Ash's sword, arms, and body, growing and totally enveloping the pieces, burning them away in a fiery cataclysm. The explosion shook the earth.

Ash fell to one knee, pain burning through him, as Christine ran to his side.

"Ash…Ash…!"  
"I'm ok…" Ash said, as his remaining four team members joined him by his side.

"You did it Ash! You destroyed him!" Paul said.

**__**

SHUT UP! DON'T JINX IT!

"Too late!"

Ash gasped with horror as burned body parts floated up, black energy flowing on them as Riot reformed himself. He had taken Ash's greatest attack, while charged up by his wife, and he hadn't missed a beat.

**__**

You EEEEDDDDDIIIOOOOTTTTT!!!!!!

"You just don't get it, do you?" Riot said, as he floated down to earth in front of the group. "I am the epitome of survival. You can't kill me…but unfortunately…the same cannot be said for you…" Riot said, as he slowly brought up his hands.

The ground began to shake, and small rocks began to rise up into the air as the four remaining Legacy members looked on.

"The end comes beyond chaos…let the fires of sin wash over this earth…" Riot growled as red power crackled on his arms and shoulders.

And then it exploded up out of the earth, a huge crackling wall of red fiery energy, growing up to fifty or so feet and seemingly a hundred feet across, a sheer wall of power that had been called up behind Riot. The ground's shudders increased even more.

"Ash…what do we do…? Paul said, his gun held limply at his side.

Ash didn't look at Paul. Instead he took Christine's hand.

"Pray its quick."

Riot smiled.

"That's not my style."

Then he thrust his arms up with a scream and the wall of power exploded forth in a mammoth energy wave attack.

There was nothing the Legacy could do. They couldn't block or dodge the attack. All they could do was scream as it washed over them and send them flying through the air like flaming dolls. The blast utterly wrecked havoc for miles.

Then Riot stopped it, the power vanishing. Slowly, he looked around at all his opponents, lying broken, bloody, and beaten. His eyes stopped at Ash and Christine last. Despite the attack, they had never let go of each other's hands.

Riot's body seemed to slump over, and then he began to snicker deep in his throat. Then he stood more upright as he laced his hand into his thick sheath of bangs and his snicker became a chuckle, and finally, his hand still tangled in his hair, he reared his head back and roared his loudest laugh ever to the heavens.

He had his mother's laugh.

Vagane applauded his son's destruction of the Legacy. The fools had actually thought they could defeat him. They hadn't even come close to taxing Riot's limits.

Then his eyes were drawn to two other figures as they headed towards where his daughter was fighting with her remaining opponents in a blazing air battle. In a second he recognized one of the Nameks he had kept as a prisoner, and the fat being that had contribued to the death of Alexia. He felt a flash of anger.

Then it faded. His children would deal with them. Whatever purpose they thought they could serve was futile.

Buu and Dende had no intention of joining the war above them, as Bloodbath currently fought with Vegeta and his family. He came because he had missed seeing something that Mr. Satan had, and when Buu had asked, Mr. Satan had told the truth. He knew he wouldn't have been able to stop Buu when he did. Buu had dragged Dende along with some protests, but the god lacked the power to beat the obese being and hence had come along.

"Celeste!" Buu said as he finally came to her body. His eyes began to tear. "No! We have to heal her!"

"But Buu…" Dende said.

"Don't talk! Use your talent! I'll use mine!"

"BUU!"

Buu looked up at Dende. Dende's face looked grim and sad.

"She's gone Buu. She's dead." Dende said.

"She's not!"

"Yes Buu, she is. I'm afraid that no amount of healing…"

Buu reached forward and grabbed Dende by the front of his outfit, yanking him forward so the Namek was face to face with him. Dende gasped. In his anger, Buu looked as bad as his evil counterpart.

"When I was fused with my evil half, I knew many things. One is the true quality of life. In some, it is is nigh impossible to extinquish, especially in a soul like Celeste. There is still a spark in there, I know it! And while we might not be able to find it, WE ARE GOING TO TRY!" Buu snarled, letting go of Dende as he stepped back from Celeste and lowered his forelock.

Dende didn't protest as he thrust out his hands, trying to do what Buu believed he could do and call the last spark of life back from oblivion.

Slowly, the terrible wound in Celeste's body began to close, as Dende repaired the tissue. But it was dead tissue. He was essentially preparing a corpse for burial and he knew it.

Buu did not, as beads of sweat broke out on the being's flabby head.

"Come on Celeste…it's not your time…come back...I know you can…you're too strong…come on…come on…" Buu said in more and more despair. But Celeste did not move. She didn't start breathing again. Her flesh stayed cold.

"Buu…" Dende said, trying to help Buu confront the final truth. "She's gone."

Buu drew back his head, looking at Celeste's prone body.

And then in a flurry of motion, he began pounding on her chest, carefully but firmly so he wouldn't break any bones, in his version of CPR.

"Beat! Damn you, beat! You're not done yet! No! NO!" Buu said as he continued to pound on Celeste's chest.

"Buu…there's nothing you can do…" Dende said. Slowly, Buu stopped his pounding, looking at Celeste. More tears began spilling from his eyes.

"No! NO!" Buu said, pounding the ground. "This isn't right! She wasn't supposed to die! No! She and Erik were supposed to love each other, get married, be happy! She wasn't supposed to die! THIS ISN'T RIGHT!" Buu screamed, raging over the cruelties of fate.

Slowly, he stood up, as steam suddenly began blowing from his head. He turned and looked up at Bloodbath as she tossed Piccolo into Gohan, laughing. Ubuu kicked at her and she dodged and countered, but Ubuu flew up and away from her.Bloodbath flew after him.

"YOU BITCH!" Buu screamed, needing a target for his anger. Bloodbath would do, as Buu formed a spear of pink ki in his hand and threw it at Bloodbath. Dende saw the writing on the wall and ran for cover.

Just as Bloodbath was closing in on Ubuu, the spear hit her from behind, blowing her up with a cry of surprise. As she reformed, she turned towards Buu as he glowered at her on the ground.

"Oh good, a…"

Buu's speed was utterly amazing, as he blasted up into the air and rammed into Bloodbath head first, then zapped above her and rammed his elbow into her chest, crushing it. Bloodbath flew towards the ground, spinning and landing on her feet as she looked up for Buu.

Buu's foot smashed into her from behind as he crashed into her with a kick, sending her spinning towards another cliff face. Bloodbath righted herself and bounced off the cliff face, flipping on extentions until she was at the top.

Buu threw a ki blast at her. She leapt up as the clifftop exploded.

"Ok, you wanna play? Let's play."

Buu zapped at Bloodbath.

Bloodbath blurred away, and then nearly took Buu's head off with a punch. Buu staggered, and then Bloodbath slammed her foot into him so hard it bulged out his back. Buu flew back to the ground, crashing into it.

"Let me show you what power is!" Bloodbath said, as she thrust out her hands and black ki exploded on them, forming into a half circle shape, as if Bloodbath was trying to form a shield in front of her.

This ki shield of sorts suddenly exploded in size, growing larger and larger. Buu got up as it bore down on him.

He thrust up his hands as it slammed into him, the black power's growth pushing him into the ground. He screamed as it both burned and crushed him.

"AHHAHAHAHHA! DIE!" Bloodbath yelled.

Then a blue blast blew her right arm off, and the power faded. Buu stood, badly burned.

"I'm sorry Celeste…" Buu whispered, before he fell on his face, out of it.

Bloodbath turned around as her arm regrew, looking at Ubuu as he brought his hands back to the normal position after he had finally formed a Kamehameha.

"Saving your other half, I see." Bloodbath said.

"No." Ubuu said. "I'm going to destroy-ARRGGGHHHHHH!" Ubuu screamed as the black laser burst from his chest from behind. Bloodbath's eyes widened as she snapped her head to the side, the laser missing it by inches.

Ubuu fell, his hand clutching his wound. Riot was revealed, his finger still out as if he was pointing at his sister.

"Ooops. Sorry sis."

"Brother! These warriors are mine!"

"Mine were no challenge. I grow bored. I don't want to eat their weak souls first. I want a truly strong soul." Riot said. Bloodbath smirked.

"Fine, but I get to prepare them!" Bloodbath said. Riot himself smirked, the resemblence truly eerie.

"Fine by me." Riot said, and blurred away.

Then Gohan and Pan slammed into Bloodbath from each side, pummeling her with punches. Riot reappeared on the cliff face his sister had been on a second ago, watching his father and other sister beat on his true sister. He wasn't worried, not by them or by the remaining Z Warriors who were waiting to take a crack at Bloodbath.

Gohan and Pan blasted away, throwing up their hands.

"MASENKO!" they yelled together, and fired the attack together.

Bloodbath held out her hands and the attack slammed into them…and stopped. The golden power of the beams turned into glowing balls in Bloodbath's hands as she held them up.

Then the balls turned black and grew larger, and then Bloodbath fired them back at Gohan and Pan as black beams. Gohan and Pan dove out of the way.

"Ha!' Bloodbath laughed, and then turned and fired a ki blast that met and canceled out a Makkankosappo that Piccolo had thrown. She laughed and fired a few ki blasts at the Namek, forcing him to dodge away.

"BIG BANG ATTACK!"

Bloodbath turned as the whole Briefs family each fired a golden ball at her, Vegeta, Trunks, and Bra, that formed into one giant golden ball of terrible power that flow at Bloodbath.

Bloodbath whacked it off into the distance. Her power was even more terrible.

The explosion lit up the whole sky as Bloodbath laughed and floated down onto the ground. Everyone followed her, surrounding her. They all showed wounds and burns from their fight, but Bloodbath showed not a scratch

"Is this your best?" Bloodbath said.

"No! We have barely begun! YOU WILL BOW DOWN BEFORE ME, BITCH!" Vegeta roared, powering up. Everyone did likewise. The earth rumbled from all the power of the saiya-jin, hybrids, and Namek.

Bloodbath looked around at them all, at Piccolo as threw off his cloak and hat, at Vegeta and his family as golden lightning crackled on and around them, at Gohan, the only one with black hair due to his Mystic talent, and Pan, his daughter, and in a way, her cousin, looking every bit as powerful as her father with her blazing golden hair. And finally…her father, Goten, his lack of eyebrows making his eyes look even harder, as he stoood as an SSJ3, quite willing to destroy his daughter.

"KILL HER!"

They all flew at her.

Bloodbath raised her arms.

"Seven Deadly Sins…" she whispered, and then thrust her arm out.

"WRATH!"

A black blast exploded from her hand, aimed right at Trunks. Trunks tried to put on the brakes, but his attempt to dodge was futile as it hit him. He screamed as it exploded, blowing him away. His cry of pain was echoed in Vegeta and Bra as Trunks was smashed into a cliff face by the beyond-powerful explosion

"GLUTTONY!"

Bloodbath fired a huge ki projectile at Goten. Goten gasped as it bore down on him. For a moment it opened, looking like a giant mouth. Then it clamped down on him, and Goten screamed as teeth seemed to pierce through his skin before the ball exploded, blasting him into the ground. His hair contracted and faded back to black as he passed out from the pain.

"SLOTH!"

Red chains of energy suddenly ripped up from the ground below Gohan, wrapping up and around his limbs, stopping him dead. Gohan screamed as the chains of power both immobilized him and burned him, and then they exploded, lancing burning agony through every cell in his body as he was thrown up and then came crashing down. Pan shrieked as her father was brutalized and defeated.

"LUST!"

Bloodbath held her hand out at Piccolo, and then fire exploded from her hand and the ground in from of Piccolo. It washed over him, an inferno of torment. Piccolo screamed before an explosion blew up from underneath him, sending his smoking body crashing into another cliff face.

"ENVY!"

Pan was trying to help her father when Bloodbath fired the green blast at her. She screamed as it slammed into her, carrying her backwards into another cliff. The blast exploded, burying her under tons of wreckage.

"GREED!"

Bra gasped as Bloodbath suddenly fired thousands of small gold ki projectiles at her. If anyone had had a chance to examine them closely, they would have seen they looked like coins. Bra tried to block as the innumerable projectiles slammed into her, but the assualt was too much and she was consumed by explosions. Vegeta screamed again as his other child went down to Bloodbath's attack as Bra was thrown backwards, hitting the ground and not moving as her hair turned back to the colour of her mother's.

And then, Vegeta was alone. He looked around at the ruined bodies as Bloodbath lowered her arms, smiling at him.

Vegeta bellowed his rage, the ground tearing up around him as his tail lashed around furiously.

"I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU HAVE FOR MY SIN, YOU WILL NOT DEFEAT ME! NOT NOW, NOT EVER!!!!!!!!!" Vegeta roared as he flew at Bloodbath.

Then the same red energy chains that had locked Gohan into place burst up around Vegeta, wrapping around his arms and legs. Vegeta gasped as he was caught. He had expected a whole new attack, not for her to repeat an old one!

Bloodbath smiled as her black aura exploded around her. A brief golden flash and she was in her mimicry of SSJ.

"Only you, "Prince" Vegeta, would have the arrogance, the PRIDE…to think you could have taken any of my previous attacks…very well…YOU CAN HAVE THEM ALL!"

Then Riot thrust her hands forward, and all the blasts and projectiles that she had thrown at her oppenents beforehand erupted from her hands, her body, everywhere, bigger and even nastier then before. They bore down on Vegeta as he was locked in his chains.

"NOOOOOOOO!"

They all hit him at once. The explosion was utterly gargantuan, so big it even consumed Bloodbath, knocked over Riot's cliff, and made Vagane. as he watched from a distance, fall over. Even Spike was blown off his feet from the shockwave.

The explosion faded, leaving only huge clouds of smoke. Riot floated down to the ground as Bloodbath healed the damage done to her.

The smoke cleared to reveal Vegeta, covered with burns and injuries, but still on his feet.

"Noooo…" Vegeta whispered, as blood poured from his mouth. Then his knees buckled and he fell, face first, to the ground, unmoving.

Bloodbath smiled, as Riot walked up to her, applauding.

"Well done sis. You badly hurt them all and yet managed to keep them alive so we could share."

"Sharing is good…the only thing is…who do we kill first?"Bloodbath asked.

"They're all helpless…we can be creative…make them suffer even more…" Riot said.

"Ah decisions…decisions…"

"Take your time, children." Vagane called, laughing. He was quite pleased. At last he could become Creation. He may as well let his children have some fun.

"Thank you father…now…"Bloodbath said.

"No!"

Bloodbath and Riot turned at the weak voice, as Son Goku staggered over a cliff. How he had managed to make it over the wrecked landscape with his ruined body, indeed, how he was even STANDING, was an absolute miracle. But he was, as he stumbled towards the two, breathing heavily.

Riot almost fell over laughing.

"You? You want to fight us? HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!" Riot laughed. His sister joined him.

Breathing very heavily, Goku almost fell over. But he didn't, as he approached the two.

"I caused all this…your sins are mine…I have to stop you…I HAVE TO!" Goku tried to yell, but all that came out was a weak groan as he staggered up to Riot and began flailing at him.

Riot didn't even move, putting his hands on his sides as Goku repeatly punched his face. Small cracks were heard as Goku broke three fingers, his bones soft and weak from the drain of power that was now infused in Riot and Bloodbath.

Having no luck, Goku stumbled over and began punching Bloodbath in the face. It only broke more of his fingers, as Bloodbath smirked at Goku's futile efforts. 

Then she grabbed him by the arm. Goku tried to scream as she broke his wrist, but all that came out was a low groan.

"Nice effort…really, I must commend you…" Bloodbath chuckled, as Riot walked over to her side.

"You know, in a sense…you are our father too…your sons gave us the building block…Vagane made us perfect and the beings who will rule everything…but you gave us the power to begin…and the power to lay waste to all your friends!" Riot said, laughing.

"Damn you…!" Goku hissed.

"You know brother, we really should give him a reward for bothering to come all the way over here to stop us." Bloodbath said.

"Yes…I know!"

Riot spun Goku around, breaking more bones. Goku groaned as he suddenly found himself looking at the prone Z Warriors scattered all around.

"You can choose who will be the first to die!"

Goku gasped in horror.

"C'mon, choose! We don't have all day!" Riot chuckled.

"Never…NEVER!" Goku hissed. Riot grabbed him by the chin and forced Goku to look into his cruel black eyes.

"Then you shall die first."

Goku, despite his wasted body, managed a look of fury and defiance that matched any he had ever given.

"Then so be it!" he hissed.

Riot sighed and dropped Goku.

"You're no fun." He sad, as Goku struggled to get back up. Then he kicked him in the head, and Goku moved no more.

"Hey wait!" Bloodbath said, looking over as Goten began to stir. "He's waking up!"

Riot smiled.

"Well, when you least expect it…you're elected."

Goten's vision was clearing when he was suddenly yanked up and brought face to face with Bloodbath. She smiled.

"Do you have a kiss for your daughter now?"

Goten spat in her face. The saliva lay for a second and then sizzled into nothingness.

"Fine by me." Bloodbath said, and twisted Goten's head in preperation of breaking his neck.

"Wait sis!" Riot said, and Bloodbath paused to look at her brother. "Anyone can quickly snap a neck! Why don't you do it…slowly?"

Bloodbath smiled at the suggestion.

"Yes, that sounds amusing." Bloodbath said, and began to twist Goten's neck.

Goten cried out in pain as his muscles contracted and began to tear, his spine creaking painfully as it was contorted in a way it was never meant to be. Riot and Bloodbath laughed at Goten's cry.

Then the scream pierced the air, a voice the timbre of a thousand thunders, a war cry that blasted across the battlefield, the world, and beyond. Riot and Bloodbath looked up.

Then a mountain split open as the fires of hell themselves exploded out as Redemption flew up from his makeshift grave, his wings flapping a bit before they straightened out. Backdropped by the terrible fire and red lightning, he truly did look like the Angel of Death, or a demon from hell. In reality he was neither and both, a power so fierce and violent it even struck Riot and Bloodbath deeply.

"No…impossible! I didn't hold back with that blast! It was lethal! You're supposed to be dead!" Riot said. Bloodbath let go of Goten, and he seized the moment to fly away.

"I get that a lot." Erik said, his voice tinged with darkness as he slowly floated down to the ground, power burning the stone and rock beneath his feet away.

Vagane was utterly stupified. He couldn't believe the boy had survived. Riot and Bloodbath shared his disbelief.

Goten landed next to Erik.

"Erik! I knew you weren't dead! You're too strong for that! Hold them off while I find the Senzu beans and then…"

"No."

Goten looked at Erik.

"What?"

"No Goten. This is my battle, my vengeance. Stay the hell out of my way."

"No Erik! Don't start doing this again!" Goten said as he stood in front of Erik. "You're not fighting alone! We'll stand by you! We have too! They're so strong…!"

"Goten…" Erik whispered, as he raised a hand. Goten stared at it as the black metal fingers crackled with blood-red energy.

"Move, or I'll kill you myself."

Goten shuddered, and then he stood aside.

"Thank you. You were always a good friend Goten, don't ever change. I am sorry about your daughter…but she was dead the second Vagane got his hands on her. I have to destroy what he made of her. I know you understand."

Goten was silent as Erik walked on. Riot had finally recovered enough to regain his cockiness.

"So, Mr. Scary finally decided to wake up from his nap. Good! I didn't hurt you badly enough the last time. LET ME SAY HELLO AGAIN!" Riot yelled, and fired a black blast at Erik.

Erik whacked it aside, not stopping to move. It exploded off in the distance as Riot gaped. No one had ever blocked one of his blasts!

Erik stopped, looking at the two. Then he looked around at the prone Z Warriors, all lying in bloody heaps. Erik looked off in the distance, seeing that the Legacy was in the same state. He looked back at Riot and Bloodbath.

"Oh please! Don't tell me you're surprised! They couldn't hold a candle to us! Father made us perfect! We are the epitome of survival! You can't hope to defeat us!"

Erik's eyes blazed with fury, as he brought his hands up.

"They'll be no mercy for you…I'LL GIVE YOU WHAT YOU GAVE MY FRIENDS!"

And then Redemption screamed as red and black energy erupted from the ground underneath him. Riot and Bloodbath recoiled at the sheer power.

Goten felt it slap across his mind again, even worse then before. _Dear god, Erik's calling on the darkness again…he's giving even more of himself to it…no Erik please, you'll go to the point of no return! Don't do that for power!_

But Erik was beyond thinking rationally. All he wanted was revenge as he continued to scream.

Then his wings snapped out and began growing bigger. Goten gasped as they extended in length and size, and then with a metallic shriek they seperated, giving Erik two sets of black metal bladed wings. The same black metal suddenly erupted down his back, forming a long metallic length unil Erik had a metal tail that ended in three barbed blades. The blades snapped like a mouth, as it the tail had a mind of its own. Finally, the ends of Erik's waistlength blood-red hair split open to reveal metal points. It seemed like Erik no longer desired to have a body made of flesh and blood. The only thing that allowed him to be recognized was the V scar that crossed over his right eye.

Riot and Bloodbath looked at the new Redemption, a sort of Omni-Redemption. Riot laughed.

"You fool. We are father's greatest success, and you are nothing but his failure! I think it's time you went off to join your whore!" Riot said, and flew at Erik as he stood there, power crackling on him

Erik dodged to the side, and Riot pistoned his fist right into the black metal of Redemption's wings. He yelled, and then Erik backhanded him, sending him flying backwards. He crash-landed near his sister.

"MWA HA HA! Having trouble, brother?" Bloodbath laughed. Riot glared at his sister.

"Looks like I'll have to pick up the slack. YAHHHHH!" Bloodbath yelled as she went "SSJ". "You might have dodged my brother, Failure, but I'm faster then he is, and with this, you will NEVER HIT ME!" Bloodbath crowed, and blasted forward towards Erik at insane speed.

She ran right into a cracking punch, and with a yell of surprise she flew past her brother and crashed off in the distance. Riot looked behind himself in surprise as Vagane gasped.

"YAAAHHHHHHH!" Bloodbath screamed as she came blazing back, trailing an aura of black power as she blasted at Redemption.

She snapped a kick at him, but Redemption dodged aside, snapping out his talons. Bloodbath screamed as they pierced through her, and then she screamed louder as Redemoption's tail swung around and began slashing at her face, eating it like a mouth. Her beauty quickly generated into a mass of torn flesh and bone as Erik tore at it.

"SIS!" Riot said, and leapt forward to attack again. But Erik simply snapped his arm out and threw Bloodbath into Riot. The two fell and immediately bounced to their feet, Bloodbath's face healing into a look of fury.

"YOU BASTARD! TAKE THIS!" Bloodbath shrieked, throwing a black blast at Erik. Riot did the same.

Erik knocked them off into the distance with his arms. Goten's jaw finally hit the ground at Erik's progress with the two clones of Agony.

"This isn't possible…they are supposed to be his superior…he can't be doing this…!" Vagane gasped as he saw Erik manhandle his children. Riot and Bloodbath were as stunned as their father.

Then Riot laughed.

"You think you're gonna win? HA! We're just playing with you! Now we'll get serious, and you'll learn that you can NEVER BEAT US!" Riot yelled, and he and his sister flew at Erik.

Erik flew up into the air, away from them, holding his arms out.

"You are wrong."

Goten felt the darkness slap across his mind again, this time so violently it nearly made him pass out. Then Erik screamed as the blood-red lightning crackling on his form began lancing out, burning into the ground and sizzling across the air. Riot and Bloodbath stopped short, watching.

"I don't care if I have to plunge civalization into ruin, I don't care if I have to crack this planet in half, I don't care IF I HAVE TO TEAR HEAVEN AND HELL ASUNDER, I WILL WIPE YOUR STAIN FROM EXISTENCE, ONCE AND FOR ALL!" Erik bellowed, and then his blood-red aura expanded and exploded around him. Dark clouds gathered above and flshes as more huge lighning bolts came crashing down around Erik in an aura of destruction.

Erik snapped his talons out of his hands as his wings grew barbs, along with the blades at the end of his new metal tail. His eyes glowed red, and then he looked down in the distance at Vagane.

"And after I am done with you…your father." Erik snarled.

"Never!" Bloodbath said.

"We won't let you touch him!" Riot added, powering up his own dark aura. The planet shook from the forces coming off the three beings in the sky as they prepared for a war of supremacy.

"Oh yes…you see…your father has taken many special things from me. He took my family. He took my humanity. He took my peace of mind and my sanity, my hope for the human race. And then…he took the life of the woman I loved…he took my future."

Erik glared eyes of pure murder on Vagane.

"And now…I'm going to take something very special from you, Vagane…**YOUR LAST BREATH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"**

__

The darkness's greatest warrior has been born from the tears of a boy, the grief of an adolescent, and the unimaginable fury of a soul…

He's seen the ruin of everything he loves.

Now, he seeks the ruin of one man.

Paybacks are hell.

Next Chapter: UNHOLY TRINITY

Editor's Notes: Originally, Chapter 7 and 8 were going to be one chapter, but I decided to split them up so there would be a shorter waiting time.

Who was that long reviewer? Hopefully, it will be you!

Well Nik Nak, Spike didn't get to say much here. On the other hand, Riot beat the crap out of Buffy. Happy?

Why is no one looking for my anime references? Ah, you're no fun.


	8. Unholy Trinity

Chapter 8: Unholy Trinity

__

"When a man's heart is full of sorrow and anger, it shrivels up, dies, and a pallor of darkness falls over his soul. From the ashes of a great man has risen a curse, a curse with the lone desire to strike down those who have hurt and opposed him. From the darkness of despair, with the weapon of violence, a love for a raven, and the wrath of a damned soul…this…is…"

"I don't want to be the loser, I've HAD ENOUGH!"

"At vindicta bonum vita iucundius ipsa." ("But revenge is sweeter than life itself.")

"I am the Game, you don't want to play me! I'm out of control, no way you can tame me!"

"On bloodstained wings, vengeance flies…faster then the speed of night."

When did this all start to happen?

When did the cogs of fate begin to turn?

Perhaps it it is impossible to know that answer now…

Deep within the heart of hell.

But, I know one thing for certain…

My love for one was destroyed by my hatred for many.

In trying to protect her…I lost her…

Now there is only one thing left to do…

To claim vengeance apon those who did this to her and me…

And let their screams echo…

Under blood red skies…

Had Redemption, Riot, and Bloodbath not had auras that left a trail, Goten doubted he even would have seen them when they blasted at each other, as bolts of blood-red lightning continued to rain down on the battleground.

And then they struck, one giant blood-red aura meeting two night-black ones. The auras twisted and crackled as they grew larger and larger, and then they exploded outward as the three engaged in a massive war of blows. Goten goggled at Erik's manuverablity. The bulk of his wings, tail, and other metal body parts didn't seem to slow him down at all.

Riot flew backwards and threw a black blast. Erik dodged and countered with his own. Riot himself dodged as Bloodbath flew back and let loose a spray of her own blasts. Erik manovered one of his wings in front of them and they exploded as the metal shielded Erik.

Riot was immediately back on the attack, lancing at Erik, furiously punching and kicking. Erik duckd and dodged away from every blow. Bloodbath's aura exploded around her and she joined her brother. Goten's amazement continued to increase as Erik evaded blows Vegeta hadn't been able to evade. It was as if he knew what was coming long before it came.

Riot and Bloodbath flew away and then zapped at Erik from each side. But Erik flew towards Bloodbath, and she shrieked as he impaled her on one of his arm blades, and then twisted and hurled her into her brother. With Bloodbath and Riot in a tangled heap, Erik fired a huge blast at them. But they managed to separate before it hit them and it flew off into the distance. 

Clearly quite angry, Riot and Bloodbath again seperated and lanced at Erik from separate directions. But as they closed in, Erik snapped out his wings and flew up, away from him. The two clones quickly righted their path and zapped up after the dark angel.

Slowly, Erik lifted his arms.

And then he thrust them downward, firing twin crimson blasts from his black metal fingers. Riot and Bloodbath tried to dodge.

They were too slow.

Bloodbath shrieked as the blast caught her and her brother, blasting them downward towards the ground. They hit and were consumed by explosions that rocked the earth.

Goten watched Erik float down, as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"Goten!"

Goten turned to the voice as Mr. Satan came over the horizon. He was accompanied by Videl, the namek Tring…and Marron.

"Mr. Sa…MARRON! What are you doing here!?!? It's not safe!"

"And you think I'll be safe cowering in that ruin of a hallway?" Marron countered. Goten was struck silent.

"You don't get it. Until those two are dead, I won't be safe anywhere! Not here, not there, not in friggin Timbuctoo!"  
"Marron…" Goten said. He didn't want his wife to see what Vagane had done to their daughter.

"Goten…I want to help. I can't let that…monster Vagane get away with what he did to me, to us, to everyone…to my child. He murdered her and gave her unholy life at the same time. I can't stand by and let him get away with it. I can grieve later."

Goten was silent again, and then he clutched his wife tightly to him. Sh was right. The time for grief was later. Now it was time for action.

"Goten, I found this! It landed near us!" Mr. Satan said, holding up a bag. Goten's heart leapt. It was the Senzu beans.

"How many are in there?"

Mr. Satan quickly counted.

"25!"

"That's it?"

"Yes!"

Goten quickly did the math in his head.

"Shit! We have 28 who need to be healed! How do we…?"

"I'll help."

Goten looked as Dende crawled out from under a rock he was hiding under.

"Dende! I thought you were dead!"

"No thanks, I'll pass." Dende said, brushing the dirt off his clothes. He looked over at Erik, who was standing, waiting, power crackling on him like it always was.

"What were you doing under there?"

"Hiding!"

"Hiding? You're the God of Earth!"

"And for all the trouble it causes me, I'm beginning to think of abdicating!" Dende said, trying to crack a joke. It fell flat.

Mr. Satan quickly divided up the beans and the remaining warriors went above distributing them. Videl flew over to the Legacy and started giving beans to them too.

Then the ground exploded as Riot and Bloodbath blasted up with a scream. Everyone froze.

But the son and daughter of Agony only had eyes for one man: Erik. And they were angry eyes.

"DAMN YOOOOUUUUUUUUU!" Riot bellowed, powering up his evil black aura. Erik just smirked.

"RIOT!" Vagane yelled, and Riot turned to his father's voice. "Get ahold of yourself! Just because he landed a few blows does not change who you are! Now show him the power I granted you!"

Riot stared at his father, then looked back at Redemption. Then tension lefted his body, and then he laughed.

"How foolish of me to get angry at someone like you. It is not worth my time."

"The opinion's mutual." Erik whispered. Riot tensed again.

Vegeta's eyes opened as Goten gave him a Senzu. He sat up quickly.

"No…!…Goten…where's Trunks and Bra?"

"We're here father. We're ok!" Trunks said, coming into his father's viewpoint. Vegeta looked relieved. Then he looked pissed.

"Get out of my way, spawn of Kakarott! I want another crack at those…"

"No Vegeta!"

Vegeta glared at Goten.

"What did you say? No one tells the prince of the saiya-jins what to do! Not especially the son of a third class baka who…"

"Vegeta, for once in your life, SHUT THE FUCK UP AND LISTEN TO ME!" Goten roared. Vegeta fell silent, and then he finally noticed Erik's form as he stood before the two clones.

"Erik…I knew he wasn't…"

"Yeah, and that's what I've tried to tell you. This is Erik's fight! Of all the things Vagane has done to us…he's done tenfold to Erik! Erik has grabbed the banner and is refusing to let anyone else hold it. If you try to get involved, HE'LL probably kill you, or at least try!"

Vegeta blinked.

"So he has fallen to the darkness within him?"

"No…but he's beyond thinking rationally. His back has been broken. If he doesn't stand alone…I don't want to think of what will happen to him…or us. In the end, this was all about him. And if we try to help him, I think we'll wind up dead sooner rather then later! Just this once Vegeta, let one who is still your friend claim your revenge for you!"

Vegeta was silent. He had no idea what to say or think.

"Besides…didn't you say that what the Angel of Death could do would even be better then you?"

"That was before Vagane unleashed his trump card. And after the way they manhandled all of us…even I…I wonder if he CAN beat them."

"We beat Agony. I know he can beat them!"

"He better, or I'll kill him for taking my battle and making me look like a fool!" Vegeta grumbled, as he rose and flew over to where everyone was gathering to watch the fight.

**__**

Owww…my head…why didn't anyone offer me a Senzu bean?

"And just where, praytell, is your mouth?" Ash countered.

**__**

Smartass.

"Look who's talking." Ash countered again, before he looked back at Erik, Riot, and Bloodbath. "Can he win?"

"I know he can!" Christine said. Various other people agreed.

Buffy was silent, looking at the three figures. _I think the question is more then if Erik can beat those two…it is more if he can win the battle raging within himself…_

Riot was oblivious to the recovery of his former foes, and the conversations going on amongst then. He was totally focussed on Erik. He was through playing. He would show the Failure he was the true greatest creation and warrior of Vagane!

Riot brought up his hands as the ground began to shake, and then a field of rocks and pebbles began rising into the air from the forces Riot was summoning. He smiled evily, and laughed.

"TIME TO DIE FAILURE!"

And Riot blasted at Redemption.

Redemption blurred away.

The air rang with cracking blows as Redemption and Riot became little more then a shifting field of light. The Z Warriors watched, the Legacy tried to follow, and Bloodbath stood, looking bored. Her brother was a hothead, but she was sure he could handle the Failure.

Her assumption soon seemed right, as Redemption suddenly appeared as Riot smashed him into the ground with a punch. Erik flipped up and blasted at Riot, but he dodged aside and kicked Erik across the back, causing Erik to go crashing face first through a rock face.

Erik wasn't fazed by that, but Riot's dashing thrust kick was different, sending him rocketing backwards. Riot laughed and fired a ki ball at the fallen man, and Erik was consumed by an explosion.

"Ha! No problem!" Riot laughed.

His laugh faded as Erik flew out of the smoke at Riot. Riot tried to dodge, but he wasn't quick enough as Erik slashed out his talons, cutting off Riot's left arm. Riot yelled as Erik stopped and turned.

"You think something like that can hurt me?" Riot laughed, and flew at Erik again, thrusting out his knee, Erik dodged and Riot only kneed one of Erik's metal wings. It didn't stop Riot from spinning to a roundhouse. Erik ducked under that. Slamming his hand into the ground so hard the ground shattered, Erik thrust up his foot and slammed it into Riot's gut, sending him flying upward. As Riot flew backwards, he thrust his hand out with a yell of frustration and threw a black ki ball at Erik.

Erik used his position to flip forward as the ki ball struck where he had been standing, the smoke consuming him.

Erik flew out of the smoke a second later.

Only to find Riot flying right at his face. The clone laughed and swung his leg up in a high kick.

Erik dodged aside and snapped his claws out in a slash. Riot screamed as Erik slashed him across a very delicate part of his anatomy. Even he couldn't resist the male instinct to grab the wounded area as blood leaked from between his fingers.

Erik smiled and held up the bloody sac he had torn from Riot's body.

"You keep claiming you are winning…well Riot, look! It appears that I am the one who has you by the balls!" Erik mocked. Then the testicles burst into flame as Redemption burned them away.

Riot looked at Erik in fury, then he smirked.

"I have more then one way of winning."

Then Bloodbath smashed into Erik with both feet, sending the dark angel right into Riot's vengeful punch. He crashed into another rock face as Riot took his hand away from his not longer injured area.

"Hold off sis. I want a piece of him. THIS TIME, I'm through playing." Riot snarled. He thrust his arms out.

"KA-IO-KEN!"

All the Z Warriors gasped as Riot was enveloped by the burning red flame that had once been one of Goku's mightest weapons, and then Riot blasted at Erik.

Erik blocked.

Riot flew around him and punched him in the back. Erik flew, but he spun in mid-air and fired a red blast at Riot. Riot dodged aside and blurred away, reappearing in front of Erik as he tried to stop.

Another punch sent Erik backwards again, and then Riot zapped after him and kicked him in the back, sending him flying back faster. Erik flipped in mid-air and thrust his feet down to stop, punching at Riot as he flew at him. Riot stopped on a dime and flew up and backwards. He fired off several ki blasts that blasted the ground around Erik. Riot flew down into the destruction and slammed into Erik, smashing him through a rock face before he grabbed him and threw him into another one. Riot laughed as the Kaioken flame finally faded. His sister blurred next to him.

"Hey, save some for me." Bloodbath said, and then her hair flared up and turned gold. Riot smirked as the Kaioken flame exploded around him again, and then they both dove at Erik.

Everyone gasped as the two clones began to pummel him, smashing him around like a punching bag.

"Dear kami…don't tell me that he's hit his peak already!" Gohan said.

"He better not have, or I'LL kill him!" Vegeta cursed.

**__**

Do something Erik! Get angrier! Power up! Digivolve! ANYTHING!

"This is great!" Bloodbath laughed as she smashed Erik with repeated kicks, leaving the dark angel staggering. The two clones leapt backwards.

"Who gets to give his head to father?" Bloodbath added.

"Rock Paper Scissors again?"

"You're on!"

'ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS!"

Riot had Paper, Bloodbath Rock.

"Damn!"

"Relax sis, I'll still let you have the Z Warriors. Now…to finish this with one punch." Riot said, as black energy exploded on his fist.

"This can't be the end…" Goku said.

And then, Riot turned and looked at the Z Warriors, smirking. They gasped again. Somehow, he had heard.

"Oh, but it is." Riot laughed.

And then turned and blasted forward, his eenrgy encased fist ripping through the air, breaking the sound barrier with a loud boom as his fist…

…smacked right into Erik's open hand. Riot gasped as Erik suddenly smiled.

"Playtime is over."

And then Erik cocked back his arm and smashed Riot so hard he head was torn off. Riot's headless body flew backwards past his sister. Bloodbath shrieked in surprise, and then growled and leapt at Erik herself.

Erik dodged aside and kicked Bloodbath in the back, sending her flying up into the air. She spun and fired a ki blast at Erik on the ground. Erik flew up. Growling, black power crackled on Bloodbath's hands as she began firing a storm of black ki balls at Erik.

Erik blocked. The explosions consumed him, forming a floating smoke cloud.

Then Erik blasted out of the smoke and smashed into Bloodbath, slamming her backwards into a cliff face so hard the impact literally caused the rock to RIPPLE before it fomed into a massive crator. Then Erik blasted Bloodbath at point blank range and the cliff collasped, carrying Bloodbath down with it. Erik remained floating in the air.

"YOU BASTARD!" Riot cursed, as Erik turned around to look at the furious clone. "YOU CAN'T STAND BEFORE US!"

"I'm rubber, you're glue, what you just said applies more to you." Erik said in a terrible mangling of the phrase. Riot snarled.

"KAIOKEN TIMES TWO!"

The red fire exploded around Riot again and he blasted at Erik, firing off a barrange of punches at Erik's face. Erik dodged every one, his body blurring back and forth so quickly Riot's fists just kept hitting empty air.

With a scream, Bloodbath blasted from the rock as Erik punched Riot away. She immediately replaced her brother, firing off a storm of kicks. She got the same result, as Erik ducked and dodged away from every blow.

Riot flew back, adding his blows to the onslaught. But to his shock, a counter blow met every blow he threw at Erik. The same was happening to his sister, as Erik blocked their punches and kicks with his own fists, arms, feet, and legs. His tail and wings allowed him to keep up the slack against his two opponents.

Riot and Bloodbath switched stratagies and flew back before they both flew at Erik.

Erik dodged aside and the two flew into each other. Erik smashed their heads together before he slashed out his wings, cutting each of them into several pieces. Blood soaked him as he flew backwards, watching the pieces reform.

Riot was utterly enraged, black power crackling on him.

"You fucking SON OF A BITCH!" Riot roared.

"RIOT!" Vagane called from the ground. "Keep your head! Find a weakness! It is something he surely has, unlike you, who possess no flaws!"

Riot looked down at his father, then look back at Erik as his body relaxed. Again, he had calmed down.

"Dear god…to have such a hold over such a powerful being…what did he do to establish it?" Ash said in amazement.

**__**

I dunno, but he probably did it very carefully!

"Indeed. I sometimes forget that I am perfect…while you, Failure, are far from it. In fact, your flaws run even deeper then a human, for you protect those who do not deserve to live due to their flaws. It is ironic that you have saved the lives of so many strangers…yet failed anyone who ever cared for you."

Erik snarled, more blood-red lightning exploding and crackling around his body in a crimson storm.

"Do you think taunting me will beat me?"

Riot smirked as he lifted his hand, dark energy crackling on it.

"No…I just wanted a little reminiscing…on how you failed everyone…including that whore of yours."

Riot thrust his hand down.

It all seemed to go in slow motion, as Erik followed his hand…and realized with horror that Riot was aiming right at Celeste's body, which lay on the ground like an alter.

"We don't have time to bury her…" Riot said, smiling cruelly as a huge ball of black energy erupted on his hand. "…SO I THINK I'LL JUST CREMATE HER!"

And then Riot fired, sending a huge blast directly at Celeste's body.

****

"NO!" Erik screamed, and dove into a steep dive after the blast. Riot laughed as he watched Erik fly after his shot. He would never make it.

"What is he DOING?" Vegeta cursed as Erik flew downward, zapping past the blast. Unlike Vegeta, Goten knew, and it shocked him to the very core.

"ERIK, NO!"

Erik made it my millimeters, hitting the ground and throwing himself over Celeste's body just before the blast hit him dead in the back.

The explosion was so violent that everyone was thrown off their feet from the shockwave with a combined scream. Even Vagane was knocked down. Spike was still sitting from having to extinquish his rear, but the force knocked him flat on his back.

The Z Warriors righted themselves in the air and began catching the various Legacy members.

"Gotcha Chas!" Yamcha said as he caught Chastity.

"I have you! Don't worry!" Gohan said as he caught Christine.

"Don't think this will be an event that happens often!" Vegeta snapped as he put Lindsay down on the ground.

Christine stared in horror at where Erik had dove to protect Celeste's body. The smoke was still billowing everywhere.

Riot's laughter filled the air as he floated down with Bloodbath. Vagane got back up with a smile. At long last he was free of the Failure.

"At long last I have proved it! No one can defeat me! No one! I am indestructible! I am the supreme master of all! None shall be…" Riot's voice trailed off as the smoke cleared.

What looked to be a black metal lump was revealed, a lump that soon split into Erik's wings, revealing his body. He was alive.

But the unprotected blast had clearly devastated him, as he slowly got up, his body language wracked in pain. Gohan could almost swear he saw blood running down the black metal that composed Erik's wings.

Riot was utterly stupified. His father was the same.

Erik turned, and it was revealed that he was holding Celeste in his arms. His metal fingers, designed to rip and kill, cradled her body like it was the most delicate of flowers.

"No…he was supposed to be the weaker half…how does he keep getting up…?" Vagane said in shock. Then Erik was looking at him.

"When will it be enough, Vagane? You already murdered the woman I love…then you set your spawn out to destroy her body? When will you be saitisfied? When will your insane mind be content with the torment you desire to inflict on me…" Erik said, almost in a Shakespearan way. He looked down on Celeste's body, and ran a hand through her long dark hair.

"No….NO! That blast…YOU CAN'T STILL BE ALIVE! WE ARE THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF DESTRUCTION! THE RIGHT AND LEFT HAND OF DEATH! YOU CAN'T STILL BE ALIVE!" Riot yelled, getting angry again.

Erik ignored him, looking down on Celeste. With her wound healed by Buu, she almost looked to be at peace.

"Erik…!" Goten said as he and Gohan ran up to him. Erik looked over.

"What…why…?" Goten stammered, trying to ask why he had taken such a blow for the sake of a corpse. From the way his body looked, his wounds were grievous.

But Erik barely seemed to notice it at all. Instead, he looked down at Celeste.

"For her…Goten."

And then Celeste's body floated out of his arms. Goten gasped slightly as Erik levitated her to him. He understood and took the body gently.

"Take care of her…I couldn't" Erik said. Goten stared back. He saw the question in Erik's eyes at the same time Erik gave him Celeste's body.

Goten nodded.

"Kill her."

Erik looked at Gohan. Gohan looked at Riot, and then nodded too. Whatever Riot was, it was not his child.

And then Erik turned, heading back towards Riot and Bloodbath. Goten stared after him, filled with grief. But it was not grief that he had just ordered his "daughter's" death. He felt nothing but loathing for her, a loathing Gohan shared. No, what he felt for was for Erik, and the terrible lonliness of his quest.

"Erik…" Goten said.

"C'mon Goten. We can't do anything else here." Gohan said, pulling Goten back. Goten looked on, and then flew back to the group.

Erik looked at Riot and Bloodbath. Riot smirked again, having recovered from his latest temper tantrum.

"Love…what a terrible weakness it must be…" Riot mocked.

Erik looked down at his hand, at the lone strand of Celeste's night black hair in his palm, a feather from his raven.

A slight breeze whipped up, blowing it away. Erik watched, keeping his head lowered.

Then he clenched his fist, as he slowly riased his head, his eyes glowing with reborn fury at the crimes Vagane had commited.

"YYYYYYAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!"

And then Erik blasted at Riot and Bloodbath, the power that exploded from his body so strong it torn the ground open in a channel as Erik flew at them.

Riot and Bloodbath saw it coming, leaping up into the air. So focussed on his initial move that he had no time to recover, Erik flew onward as Riot thrust down his hands.

"TAKE THIS!" Riot yelled, and then fired several large ki blasts down into the ground where Erik was. The area was utterly devastated by explosions. The Z Warrirors and Legacy instinctively threw up their arms, and Spike, who was trying to get up, was knocked on his rear again.

"Good side, I'm not fighting him. Bad side, my bum's really taking a whipping. I feel like I'm in school again." Spike groaned.

Riot looked down on his devastation with glee. Bloodbath sighed and began to count.

"Five…four…three…"

Riot looked at his sister.

"What are you doing?"

"Counting down until he comes bursting out. As I was saying…three…two…one?" Bloodbath said, some confusion in her voice. Erik had still not emerged.

Riot smiled.

"You really should show more consideration for my powers, sis. That blast he took to protect his whore's corpse weakened him. That blind charge left the same opening, which was enough for me to finish him off. Good thing, he was far harder to squash then I…" Riot said before the shadow fell over him. He snapped his head up.

Erik's laced fists came crashing down on his face, totally smashing in Riot's skull with a muffled cry. Cereberal fluid and tissue splattered on Erik as Riot fell. Erik turned to Bloodbath, who was floating in shock. She had never expected Erik to somehow get above them.

"He seems to dislike using his head, so I decided to." Erik said. Bloodbath snarled. She was far better at keeping her temper then her brother, but Erik's refusal to die had finally gotten to her too.

"BASTARD!" Bloodbath screamed, throwing a ki blast at Erik. Erik whacked it away with an almost bored effort.

Then Riot flew up behind him, his skull already finishing its healing as Riot pinned Erik's metal tail to his back with his knee and brought his arms up and around Erik's arms, yanking them backwards as he restrained him.

"GET HIM SIS!" Riot yelled, as Erik began to struggle. But Riot held up with amazing strength. With a snarl of glee, Bloodbath brought both her arms together. Flesh changed to steel as her arms melted together and formed into a giant sword blade, before she dove at Erik, aiming the sword right at him.

Erik struggled furiously, but Riot's grip was unfailing, as Bloodbath bore down on him. The siblings laughed in turn.

Then Erik suddenly yanked his body forward as hard as he could, almost turning himself upside down. With a yell of surprise, Riot was pulled with him, nearly falling over Erik and losing his grip. Erik snapped his body back up as he regained the use of his arms, and as Riot floated in front of him, he shoved Riot forward towards his sister.

Bloodbath shrieked and tried to stop, but it was too late as Riot was impaled on the same blade meant for Erik. He yelled before blood exploded out of his mouth.

"BROTHER!" Bloodbath yelled in shock, and then looked up at Erik as he flew away. Erik brought his hands up at the same time.

"BURNING MISERY!"

A giant bolt of crimson energy blasted from Erik's hands, the force so strong it literally threw him backwards. Bloodbath shrieked as the bolt blasted into and through her and her brother before it exploded.

Erik floated down to the ground, his arms crossed and his tail lashing the air.

Bloodbath exploded from the cloud, her brother's burned skeleton falling off in the distance. She landed in front of Erik as the last injuries on her face and body vanished. Riot had acted as a sort of shield and taken the brunt of the blast for her, but she certainly wasn't happy for it. Rather, she was infuriated.

"Damn you…DAMN YOU! YOU HURT MY BROTHER!!!!!!!!!!!" Bloodbath screamed as her hair flared up and went gold. But she didn't stop there, as golden and black beams of light blasted up from her feet and shone and blasted all around her in a marvelous display of colours. Her hair didn't get any longer, but it suddenly formed into spiked locks as her eyebrows vanished. Erik's acts had so infuried her she had managed to mimic SSJ3.

"DIIIIIEEEEEEEEE!" Bloodbath screamed as she thrust her hands to the side. Black light poured from between her fingers as a windstorm whipped up, blowing her golden hair around.

"KA…ME…"

Erik thrust his hands out as crimson energy exploded on them.

"ME…HA…"

Erik brought his hands up.

"HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Bloodbath screamed, and fired the black bolt of power at Erik, the ground tearing away underneath the attack as she fired it.

"SMOLDERING BLOOD!" Erik yelled, and thrust down his hands as he fired twin crimson blasts at Bloodbath's attack.

The two met and canceled each other out, blasting out and around in an inferno of energy. Everyone recoiled from the power, missing Erik and Bloodbath flying into the inferno and enganging in a blistering war of blows. The power they had dove into would have vaporized solid steel, but to them, it was just like a day at the beach.

But Bloodbath wasn't having one, as Erik plunged his tail through her. As it exploded out her back, Erik slashed out his claws and turned Bloodbath's front into a mass of gore before he twirled and kicked her. Blood spraying everywhere, Bloodbath flew backwards, a huge cloud of dust exploding from the cliff face she hit.

"YAHHHHHHH!" Riot screamed as he leapt at Erik from behind, half his face still a pink mass of healing muscle.

Erik snapped up his fist right into Riot's face, and then spun and kicked Riot's legs out from under him. As Riot fell, Erik leapt up and tried to jam one of his elbow blades into him.

Riot dodged out of the way just in time, and as the blade bit into the ground Bloodbath came flying in out of the distance and kicked Erik, sending him flying backwards into another cliff face.

Riot spun up to his feet and the two siblings barranged the cliff face with black ki blasts, sending it crashing down on Erik. The two didn't let up, creating a larger and larger smoke cloud as they kept firing.

Then Erik burst from the cloud, zapping up to Riot and caving his face in with a punch. Riot flew backwards, and as he did Erik thrust out his foot, burying it into Bloodbath's gut and doubling her over. Erik spun and slashed his wing out, nearly cutting Bloodbath in half as she too flew backwards, crashing down near her brother.

Erik flew up into the sky, stoppin after going a few hundred feet. He began to growl.

"What's he doing?" Trunks said, as a ball of crimson power appeared around Erik, a see-through around that swirled around and into Erik as his wings flapped.

Then with a disgusting tearing noise, Erik's upper arms suddenly split. Everyone gasped in horror as what had appeared to be some of the still living flesh on his body ripped open to reveal more metal underneath. But it wasn't just metal, it was a group of jagged circular holes. The same holes were on the other side of the flesh that had split and opened up.

The red power cracking around Erik began flowing into the holes, and then the blood red lightning exploded around him and began flowing into it as well.

Gohan realized what they were. Cannons.

Erik's growl built to a roar as Riot and Bloodbath finally finished healing and looked up at Erik.

Erik twisted his arms towards them.

"DEATH OF 1000 DEMONS!"

And then crimson blasts of power began spraying from the barrels, hundreds apon hundreds of blasts that seemed come raining down everywhere around Erik.

The two siblings barely got a cry out before the blasts came rain down on them, consuming them in explosions. Erik didn't stop, as he rained fire down on Riot, Bloodbath, and anything that got near him. The earth shook under the onslaught.

"What power!" Pan gasped, and she meant it. She was glad that she couldn't properly measure the power of the destructive forces Erik had at his command, and she had no intention to. She feared any attempt would destroy her mind. Her sentiments were shared by everyone, even Vegeta. Vegeta had felt stronger ki's, but never something so violent and deadly.

And then Erik stopped the blasts comeing from the cannons in his arms, but he wasn't done, as he flew backward slightly. The circle of red crimson power, however, did not follow him. Instead, it floated in the air where Erik had floated a second ago when he had been raining havoc down on Riot and Bloodbath.

Erik placed a hand on the circular ball, as if the surface were solid, and then red power began forming in the center. It grew and bloomed until the whole ball was no longer see-through. Instead, it was a dark crimson ball crackling with blood-red lightning, about the size of a car.

"GET DOWN!" Goten yelled, senseing what was coming, as Erik raised the ball above his head.

"EYE OF THE HOLOCAUST!" Erik roared, and hurled the ball down onto where Riot and Bloodbath had been.

Even lying down, the shaking of the ground nearly tossed everyone into the air as the ball exploded in a gigantic blast. The only one who didn't move was Erik, who floated as the force and smoke washed over him.

"What the hell is he trying to do, kill us all?" Brigh cursed as he was tossed about like a ship in the middle of the storm.

**__**

Do you really want him to answer that question?

Erik was again revealed as the smoke cleared, debris raining down around him. He stood with his arms crossed, waiting.

Black power exploded up from the area where the clones had been. Everyone else gasped, but Erik watched calmly as the power flowed up and intensified before it exploded out, revealing Riot and Bloodbath.

But their demeanor had changed. In his attacks, Erik had come extremely close to completely destroying them, and they knew it.

"This can't be happening…WE ARE THE RIGHT AND LEFT HANDS OF DEATH!" Riot screamed again.

Erik's cold look never wavered, but his words said more then any expression ever could.

"I am Death."

With a combined yell, Riot and Bloodbath blasted at Erik, and the three engaged in another war of blows. The air rang with their combat, and most of the Legacy covered their ears, as well as a few of the Z Warriors. The only one who wasn't affected was Celeste, who lay on the ground where Goten had put her when he had dove for cover. She lay, forgotten, as everyone watched the battle.

The war went down to the ground, and shattered rock and dirt began to fly from the force coming off the three participants.

Vagane watched in horror as Erik leapt and snapped his legs up, kicking Riot and Bloodbath away from him. The two spun and ran back at Erik as he formed a Piercing Strike blast in his hand. 

Erik looked back and forth, trying to decide who to throw the ball of power at as the two bore down on him.

In the end, it was the ground who received the attack, as Erik threw it down as the two reached him, causing him to vanish in smoke. Riot and Bloodbath stopped, and then looked up as Erik flew into the sky. They blasted up after him, each drawing to one of his sides. Power cracking on his hands, and her fingers forming into daggers, Riot and Bloodbath lanced at Erik.

Erik flew up and the two almost crashed into each other again.

"GRAVEDIGGER!"

And then Erik slammed down into them, his claws piercing through the clones as he flew back into the ground. He crashed into it and drove Riot and Bloodbath into a crator before energy blasted up in an explosion, blowing the crator even bigger. The Z Warriors recoiled as they were pelted with rock shrapnal.

Erik flew out of the hole, doing some acrobatics along the ground. At the same time, Riot and Bloodbath flew out, their flesh finishing its healing as they landed.

Erik thrust out his hands, firing a crimson blast at the two.

Riot and Bloodbath each thrust out an arm, sending out a combined black ki blast to counter.

The two met and began pushing at each other, beams of light blazing off the apex of the battle. It was almost pretty.

Sweat beaded on Riot and Bloodbath as they tried with all their might to force the blast their way. But no matter how hard they pushed, their beam wouldn't bulge.

Then Erik laughed.

"You call that a blast? THAT IS NOTHING!"

And then Erik snapped his wings out, and his blast seemed to multiply tenfold. Riot and Bloodbath gasped as their beam was shoved back and destroyed, the explosion blowing them backwards, their bodies sliding across the ground in a trail of dust and smoke. 

Erik leapt backwards, stopping a few dozen feet before the combined Z Warriors, his tail lashing, waiting.

Riot blasted from where he had been buried under a pile of rock with a scream.

"GOD DAMN YOOOOOOOOUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Riot screamed.

"RIOT!" Vagane yelled, but there would be no calming his son down this time. Riot was beyond being calmed. Bloodbath pulled herself up from where she had been pushed and also tried to calm her brother down, but Riot would have none of it.

"I AM THE GREATEST WARRIOR, THE GREATEST CREATION EVER! I AM PERFECTION! I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED BY A FAILURE OF MY FATHER!!!!!!!!" Riot screamed. Erik said nothing, his arms crossed as his tail came to a rest. His eyes glowing red, Riot glared at Erik and the Z Warriors.

"Fuck having fun. I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS PLANET! I'LL CLAIM ALL ITS SOULS AT ONCE, AND I'LL TURN YOU TO ASH ALONG WITH IT!"

And with that, Riot put two fingers to his head and disappeared, reappearing high up in the sky. The shock that Riot had just used Instantaneous Movement was repressed by what he immediately did as he raised his hands.

And then the clouds erupted with thunder as a black aura exploded around Riot, growing bigger and bigger until it seemed to cover the whole sky. Power began growing around Riot, a raging storm of darkness that seemed deeper then the night itself, and yet seemed to shine with its own unholy light.

"Dear kami…the…the power!" Vegeta gasped as the aura kepted growing, as the darkness somehow became even blacker around Riot's hands.

Bloodbath flew up near her brother, but even she seemed hesitant to approach him, as Riot began to scream. The aura grew even bigger, and the ground began to crack and shatter.

**__**

Is he doing that Fires of Sin attack again?

"No…" Goku whispered, and everyone turned to him. "He…is mimicing what I did when I was the one tainted by Vagane. He is…gathering the darkness and evil of humanity…like a Genki Dama. But he is not forming a Genki Dama…nor is he doing that attack you mentioned. That attack was a widespread blast designed to take down multiple targets…this attack is aimed at only one…and its power is infinately greater!"

Goku's explanantion smacked of a prophecy of doom, and it shook everyone to their very core.

All except Erik. He stood there, his arms crossed, looking up at Riot as he charged.

"Erik, what are YOU DOING! ATTACK HIM! DON'T LET HIM FINISH THAT ATTACK!" Goten screamed.

Erik didn't do that. Instead, he lowered his head.

"TOO LATE!" Riot screamed, as he slammed his wrists together. His palms out, he brought them up above his head with a shriek of insane triumph.

"ERIK! DO SOMETHING!"

Erik closed his eyes.

"He's lost it. He's gone totally crazy." Goten stammered, staring at Erik's prone form, standing as if he was feeling a cool breeze, utterly oblivious to the annihalation being formed above him.

"This…is it Failure! Even if I miss, this whole planet will be blown to dust! NOW FEEL THE BURNING AND UNSTOPPABLE WRATH OF PERFECTION AND POWER INCARNATE!"

"ERIK!"

Riot thrust his hands down as his body vanished, leaving only a brief silhoulette of him before the scream tore through the air.

**__**

"DOOMSDAY!"

And it blasted from the sky, a gigantic black bolt that seemed to swallow the stars and all light itself in a raging heart of darkness. It literally filled the whole sky, blazing fast and yet agonizingly slow, the self-destructive nature of humans and their ilk brought to bear against the world and the Z Warriors in a way beyond horrendous.

"ERIK!" Goten kept screaming, before Marron slapped him across the face.

"HE'S GONE!"

"Your woman is right, his weak mind has shattered! We have to stop it ourself!" Vegeta cursed, and fired a ki blast at the approaching sword of armageddon.

The blast didn't even show that it had been countered, as it swallowed Vegeta's ki blast like a hungry monster.

Vegeta screamed and fired more ki blasts, and his efforts were joined by all the Z Warriors and Legacy as they all tried to stop the blast as it bore down on them, filling their whole line of vision. But their attacks, as mighty as they were, were utterly futile.

Vegeta screamed and slammed his wrists together as Gohan and Goten brought their hands to their side.

"FINAL FLASH!"

"KAMEHAMEHA!"

"KAMEKAMEHA!"

The three blasts blew upward and slammed against the approaching blast…and were shattered like the frailest crystal.

Finally, Vegeta realized that it was hopeless. They were all doomed.

He wanted to do so much, just like he had once before when he lay in the ruined streets of a city, dying while holding his dead mate. But this time, there would be no miracle to save him.

Goten stared in utter horror.

Gohan held his wife and child close.

Everyone prayed that the children of Agony did not have a hell inside them. Oblivion would be better then that.

And then Erik spoke. It was the faintest whisper, but somehow it rang through all the ears of those present like thunder.

"Power?"

And then Erik leapt up, and his whisper turned to a mighty bellow.

"**_YOUR POWER IS NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"_**

The blast slammed against Erik, and for a moment everyone expected his body to vaporize, wiped out before they all met the same fate.

Then all their jaws dropped as the blast stopped.

Erik floated in mid-air, his wings twisted and crossed in front of him, the terrible power of the blast burning against him. It was like an ant holding back a falling skyscraper.

But of all the shock the Z Warriors and Legacy felt, it couldn't match Riot's.

Goten stared as Erik held the blast back, and for those few moments, he truly did look like an angel, an angel backdropped by all that was indecent and cruel, violent and hateful, prejudicial and evil. He gaped as Erik once again tried to close Pandora's Box.

And then, with a scream, Erik's wings snapped out, and the blast flew back upward into the sky, leaving only Erik floating there.

Riot's shock was so great he almost got hit by his own blast. If Bloodbath hadn't shoved him out of the way, it would have, as he floated there. The blast burned past him and flew off into space.

"N…….N-N-N-No…he couldn't have…I…he…" Riot stammered, at a total loss for words. Slowly, he floated down to the ground, staring at Erik.

"H-H-How…? Your…I am the most powerful being IN THE UNIVERSE!" Riot screamed, his anger returning full bore. "I AM THE PERFECT LIVING BEING!"

"No you're not. You're a clone of Agony, an inferior knockoff with the stolen power of a great man. Your powers are nothing before the essense of destruction. You are not perfection. You're pathetic." Erik said.

Riot tangled his hands in his hair, looking like he wanted to start ripping it out. He settled for tearing at it instead, as Vagane watched, in total and utter shock at what had happened.

"NO! I'LL KILL YOU!" Riot screamed, and flew at Erik, punching.

Erik stepped aside and Riot punched one of his metal wings.

" No…you won't." Erik said." Riot screamed and tried to kick him. Erik blocked it.

"Your father planned for you and I to be on the same team…but for you to be superior. Unfortunately, your father is far too insane to realize what I command."

Riot tried another kick. Erik dodged aside.

"I command a force older then words…older then memory…you just command stolen powers and your mother's accused cells."

Riot tried three punches, which were blocked with each arm and Erik's tail.

"You're not perfection."

A dodged kick.

"You are not the greatest warrior."

Two punches blocked with Erik's wings.

"You're just the copy of an insane mind, by an equally insane mind."

Riot threw another punch, which Erik dodged. And as he did, he cocked back his fist.

"You're nothing."

And then he swung his fist back.

It seemed to be just another punch, but when it struck, it was as if something tore through every single one of Riot's cells. Later, Gohan would speculate that Erik had somehow given Riot an idea, a vision, of just what his power was.

Whatever happened, it was brutally effective, as Riot swung up and then fell to his hands and knees as if he were a boxer being given a knockout punch. The punch had barely seemed to harm his body…and yet, as he lay there, breathing heavily, it seemed to hurt him far more then any way Erik could tear him apart or burn away his cells.

And as Riot crouched before him, almost cowering from what he had seen, Erik said his final line, as dramatic as Shakespeare might have written.

"You're breakable."

Breathing heavily, Riot lay on the ground for a few seconds. Bloodbath had stood by, stunned. Although she had no intention of showing it, she was out of ideas.

But then Riot reared back to his feet with a scream of pure fury, she knew he had one: all out attack.

"DIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Riot bellowed as he lanced at Erik again, his fingers posed to rip out those mocking eyes Erik now had.

But all Riot found was the business point of Redemption's wing as he swung it up. Riot was impaled on it, blood gouting from the massive wound and then raining down on the ground as Erik lifted up his wing.

"BROTHER!" Bloodbath screamed, and flew at Erik to stop him. But Erik turned and Bloodbath was impaled herself on the other wing. The rain of blood turned into a downpour.

Then Erik snapped his wings out and flew up into the sky. Riot struggled furiously, but he seemed to be stuck to the wing. He tried to use Instantaneous Movement again, only to have Erik's tail slash his hand off.

Everyone stared as Erik reached his apex, just a little dot in the sky.

"I consign you to defeat…and to oblivion…Ultimate Technique…" Erik whispered.

And then he twisted and lanced downward towards the Earth.

****

"ENDGAME!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Christine's eyes widened as Erik bellowed the attack name, and she whirled.

"RUN FOR IT!"

"What? Why?" Vegeta said.

"He's doing his greatest attack! If we're anywhere near it, we'll get destroyed too! MOVE!" Christine yelled, as she grabbed Ash's hand and took off.

Everyone looked at each other.

Then Erik thrust down his hands and began firing a myriad of red blasts down at the ground.

"AHHHHHHH!" Marron yelled as one exploded near her. She was saved by Goten, as he swooped and pulled her away as everyone flew or ran for the hills.

"ERIK! WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO, KILL US ALL?"

"NO! JUST KILL THEM!" Christine yelled back.

Erik's blasts didn't destroy the ground and vanish. Instead, they stayed, sweeping the area into a firestorm of raging, blistering destructive energy, a field of eradication.

Vagane ran for his discarded wheelchair, throwing himself near by it and hammering at the buttons, hoping it still worked.

Erik stopped his assault and spread his arms.

Black fire erupted over him, consuming his body and Riot and Bloodbath's as they both shrieked in twine.

Vagane activated his shield.

Spike, nearly three miles away from where the battle had moved, decided he had better run for it too.

Then Erik flew into his field of energy and hit the ground.

The explosion nearly blew everyone's eardrums before it blew them off their feet. With combined cries of shock and fear, all the Z Warriors, Legacy, and Buffy Summers went flying, tossed through the air like the lightest of paper.

"YEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!" Vagane screamed as his shielded wheelchair was unable to hold its ground as all the ground around him shattered and exploded upward, throwing him through the air as he clung to his former source of movement.

A mushroom cloud didn't explode up, instead a column of pure destructive energy blasted into the sky, firing off into space as it shattered all the floating rocks to dust. The same bolt of power drilled through the whole planet and blasted out the other end. The planet went into convulsions from the violation.

And then the power was everywhere, exploding outward and washing over everything. Vagane's whole lab collasped and burned as the power blasted through it, destroying it like a house of cards. In one final blast, the power erupted upward.

And then it vanished, leaving only smoke and ruins. Hell had come to earth, but it hadn't left without leaving its mark.

Slowly, the grouped heroes got to their feet, still unable to believe what they had seen.

And as Goten stared at the destruction around him, he realized something: he had left Celeste's body laying when he had run.

Vagane coughed as he tried to get up, bracing himself on his ruined hoverchair. His shield had held, but barely, and now the mechanism was destroyed, burned out from the force of the explosion. 

He looked around at the utter ruins of his magnificent lab.

"No…he couldn't have done this! He is a weakling! A Failure! He should be dead!" Vagane said, his madness totally uncapable of understanding Erik's strength.

Gasping, Vagane slid open the lone panel he hadn't opened on his ruined hoverchair. It contained a single, melted button.

"I never thought…I would have…to activate this…but I…need…the Wildcard!" Vagane gasped, and slammed his hand on the button. Spent, he slumped, gasping for air in the thick clouds of smoke that roiled around him.

Then he heard it, the slight noise that might have been a pebble being kicked. He looked around.

"Riot…Bloodbath? Are you there?" Vagane said, feeling fear for the first time in a long time and hating himself for it. His head looked around, trying to see anything in all the smoke.

Then he heard the whisper.

"The prince and princess of destruction are dead."

Vagane's heart turned to pure ice as Erik walked out the smoke, standing before him. His outfit was torn and ripped, and he had burns, bruises, and cuts all over his body. But he was still standing, with eyes that glowed with fury and anticipation as he looked at Vagane.

"Long live the King!"

The DBZ World was being ravaged by forces beyond imagination, but elsewhere, there was a strange calm as a female figure tried to clamber over a cliff.

She failed and fell, hitting the ground with a scream and a splattering noise. The scream turned to a sound of pleasure, though, as the broken, shattered bones healed.

The female stood, shaking her head. While the world she was in was not being ravaged, it was not without desire to do so. But for the moment, she was stuck. He'd dropped her into the desert and she hadn't seen a single living thing since she'd begun her trek out several days ago. She hadn't stopped once, driven by her need to kill and an endurance that was almost demonic.

Now she was close. All she had to do was get over this mountain range. The range had given her a great deal of fun due to constant accidents, but her need to destroy was beginning to override her love of being destroyed.

Once again, she clambered up, finally making it to a thin rock ledge that dropped off on both sides.

And in another world, someone pushed a button.

She was almost shocked when the air suddenly tore open in front of her, and that was saying something. Unfortunately, her semi-shock had not caused her to fall again.

She cocked her head and stared at the Gateway opening.

Then she felt something rip through her as an incredibly small droid tore its way through her back, ripping out and flying around in front of her. The female cocked her head at it as it floated in front of her.

"What?"

Then something opened and an incredibly small beam was fired right into her eye.

And then she reeled as memories exploded through her, returned by the droid. She suddenly knew what the Gateway was, and why it had appeared, who had sent it and why.

And she knew once more, memories that had been ripped from her by a wish restored by terrible technology that had not had its records erased. Memories of another world…of people and places there…and what she had done.

She…had been a god.

She blinked as the robot fell, its purpose served. Such a surge of memories would have surely overwhelmed an ordinary human being. But not her. She looked at the Gateway as she turned the restored memories over in her head.

She was filled with acceptance…and an overpowering desire.

The robot was crushed under her foot as she walked into the Gateway.

Vagane stared in horror at Erik, part of his mind thinking he surely had to be having a nightmare. And in a way, he was. But he wasn't dreaming it. He was living it.

His fingers fumbled at the chair, as another panel opened and extracted Vagane's gun. He yanked it out and began firing at Erik.

Erik began walking forward, smirking slightly as the bullets flew at him.

They melted, vaporizing long before they got near his skin. Erik smirked again as Vagane emptied the gun into him, not stopping his walk.

The gun clicked, and Vagane furiously tried to pull out another clip.

Erik's tail lashed out, and Vagane screamed as the blades sliced off two of his mechanical fingers, throwing the gun away. He reached for his chair again, but Erik raised his arm and fired a blast, blowing it to pieces. Vagane yelled as he was pelted by shrapnal, rearing back and falling on his rear, staring at Erik in horror.

Erik looked at Vagane. With his youth restored, he looked just like the Vagane he had known, who had tormented him as a child and loved doing it. The path Erik had walked to get here would have broken another man long before he had reached the end.

But Erik had withstood every one of fate's hammers. And now he was finally going to claim his greatest desire.

"No more walls, Vagane. No more distractions, no more guards, no more tricks up your sleeve. Just you…and I."

Vagane tried to scramble backwards as Erik walked towards him again.

A pile of stone clattered noisily as something stirred underneath it.

And then a hand thrust out as Riot pulled himself out, gasping for air. He held his hand to his chest, not believing what he was feeling.

It was pain. But a pain he couldn't draw power from, a pain that gave him no pleasure…a pain that coursed through his every cell. He felt weak…tired, barely able to lift a finger.

He felt…_human._

He heard a faint groan, and he turned towards it, crawling and digging before he uncovered his sister.

"Brother…" she whisped, as Riot gathered her in his arms. He tried to call apon the power given to him by his father, tried to get rid of the pain he couldn't control. But he couldn't. This was the taint of Erik's Endgame.

"Brother…I burn…please stop it…" Bloodbath pleaded. Riot wanted to, more then anything, but all he could do was lie there, cradling his sister. A thought crossed his mind, one he never thought would. He wondered if he was dying…if somehow Erik had inflicted a wound that could do that to him.

Riot had barely noticed the metal structure near him…and perhaps that was as fated as the fact that he and his sister had been laid to rest near it.

But he smelt the smell.

He heard the crackling.

And then he looked up in surprise as the smoke cleared to reveal the Gateway that had been Vagane's lab as it exploded open. Riot stared at the white field that lay beyond the rip.

Then the figure stepped through. His eyes widened.

"Mother!"

"What the hell was that?" Gohan said, as he saw the faint white glowing in the distance. Goten looked.

"I don't know…but we have to find out!"

"Why?" Vegeta said, turning away from his inspections of his son and daughter. He had barely escaped death, and he had no desire to head back where it might try for him again.

"Because we have to find out what happened. We owe that much to Erik!" Christine said, heading back towards where the battle had been.

**__**

Sigh…we'll all gonna die.

"Oh shut up." Ash said, as he headed after his wife, surrounded by his teammates and the Z Warriors.

She looked at the two as they managed to get to their feet, feeling confusion the first time in a long time.

"Mother…" Bloodbath said. And she understood.

"Of course…that is what…he did…he made you…using me…didn't he? You are…my children."

Riot nodded as he tried to stay on his feet, stumbling towards her.

"Mother…I'm sorry…he hurt us…somehow…he did…we can't beat him. Help us mother…help us destroy him…I'm sorry…" Riot said, feeling like he was going to cry from his failure.

Her eyes normally showed things that would drive men mad, but they did not show them now. Instead…they seemed to show a matronly understanding.

"Shhhhh…come here."

Riot nearly fell into her arms, his sister joining him. He felt comforted as his mother stroked his hair.

"You don't have to worry…you lost to the boy…but you won't lose to him again…" she whispered as she closed her eyes.

Then she opened them as darkness and delight blazed in them.

Riot screamed as she brought her hands around and punched through his chest. Bloodbath screamed as the same thing happened to her.

Then they collapsed as she tore both their hearts out, her bladed fingers dripping blood as the two convulsed behind her, blood spilling in a pool around them. She looked at the black organs…they were so much like her own.

"Because you won't be fighting him again." She said, and with great rapture she bit into the hearts.

She almost fell to her knees as the power exploded through her. She had torn it from them, for they possessed no souls for her to absorb. Instead, it was placed in their hearts…and now, it was in hers.

The ascent was as marvelous to her as it had been the first time. She almost fell to her knees, giggling, as she finished eating the hearts.

Then she looked back at Riot and Bloodbath as they stirred, trying to get up, as their wounds began to heal.

"Hmmmmm." She said. "This could be a problem…"

Then her eyes fell on the Gateway, still open and crackling with white power. Her eyes lit up as she remembered one of the things she had been told.

"Of course."

Riot lay, unable to believe what his mother had done. His grief at that was only matched with the grief of the terrible emptiness inside him now…the god-like power he had now gone. His sister felt the same way.

Then she reached down and grabbed them, dragging them towards the Gateway.

"Mother…why…what…?" Bloodbath whispered.

"Interesting thing about this machine. It opens pathways between worlds…but only as long as there is an entrance and exit to stabalize it. Should one be shut down while someone is traveling in it without the proper precautions, the pathway will be violently torn apart and scattered into the nothingness between realms…and so will anything in it."

Riot and Bloodbath's eyes widened.

"No! Mother! PLEASE!" Riot begged as she reached the Gateway hole. Bloodbath tried to hold onto her, like an infant clutching its mother.

She smiled cruelly at them.

"Sorry. But I never wanted kids."

And she threw them into the hole.

"MOTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Bloodbath managed to shriek. Riot just screamed.

Then they were gone. Laughing, she lifted her hands as black power exploded on them.

And then she thrust them out and the Gateway exploded in black fire, the white opening emitting a strange shriek before it blasted into oblivion, vanishing. Broken parts of machinery rained down around her as she turned, smiling, her black eyes dancing.

"And I don't like competition…I have a dream to accomplish. And this time, it will be twice as nice." She said, licking blood from her bladed hands.

As Erik walked towards Vagane, Vagane continued his futile attempt to flee. He almost managed to get to his feet before he fell down again.

And then he started laughing. That gave Erik pause.

"You idiot…you think you've saved the day? You think to call me a fool, the way you think? You are the fool! You think by killing me, you will save humanity? I am not humanity's worst enemy: THEY ARE! They with their hatreds and their desires and their petty, destructive NEEDS! Look what they're done, what they're still doing, to themselevs and everything around them! If you save this world, it will just wipe itself out eventually. Same for your world and every other world there is!"

Erik stopped, allowing Vagane time to get to his feet.

"My species…what I was to create…there would be none of that! They would have no hates, no needs to kill others due to their differences or their perceived threats! They would all be happy, and they would always be that way! They would be the perfect species!"

"A species ruled over by you, a species without individuality, without difference, without any change. That's not life, Vagane. That's madness. Life is difference…and while that difference may lead to all I loathe, we are better with it then without it. For while that difference made Hilter, it also made Ghandi. Where it made Vlad the Impaler, it also made Mother Teresa. Where it made you…it made me. But you couldn't see that, could you? All you could see how your creation would be so superior to what already is…creation made men like you. You think you can create things. Make such glories. It was men like you who invented gunpowder and designed projectile weapons, men like you who built the atom bomb, created napalm, and designed viruses for the sake of warfare. All you create…it's just to destroy the creations of others…and of creation itself. You don't have a clue of what it is to truly make something…" Erik said, before he trailed off. He looked down at his black metal hands.

"My time here…it made me realize…I didn't want this, and I didn't want what I had, any more. I wanted to stop my destruction and start creating…make a future…make my dreams come true…perhaps even make a child. That is creation, Vagane. But…it appears that this is not meant to be…this power I now command shows it…perhaps I am fated to only know the death of life and the oblivion of war."

Erik closed his hands, his fists cracking, as he looked at Vagane in fury.

"But if I am fated to never know anything but destruction…THEN I SHALL SHOW YOU HOW TO DO IT!"

And then Erik backhanded Vagane, sending him flying with a spray of blood.

Vagane crashed to the ground, trying to recover, but then Erik walked up to him and kicked him in the ribs, sending him flying again with a cry.

"GET UP! FIGHT ME!" Erik yelled. "You wanna wipe life out, you go through me first!"

Vagane was struggling to his feet before Erik punched him in the gut, then spin kicked him, sending him flying again. Blood pouring from ruptured lips and a broken nose, Vagane struggled to his feet as Erik approached him again. Rearing back, he punched Erik in the face.

Erik didn't budge. Instead, he smirked, bitter and vicious.

"With a punch like that, no wonder you always had your lackies fight for you."

Erik's wings snapped out, smashing Vagane through the air again. Vagane landed badly, trying to get up. Erik's foot pistoned out and kicked him down again.

The Z Warriors and Legacy arrived as Erik threw Vagane through the air again. He landed with a cry of pain and tried to run. But Erik blurred away and reappeared in front of him, smashing him through the air again with his tail.

"It's done. Now we just sit back and watch justice be done." Gohan said. Everyone agreed, even Goku, as he was supported by Mr. Satan and Yamcha.

Vagane slammed against a cliff rock face, crumpling to the ground a bleeding wreck. He tried to get to his feet, but he failed as Erik's fist grabbed him by the front of his shirt, lifting him up. Vagane stared with blurry eyes at Erik, who smiled, quite content. On his other hand, his talons snapped out.

"Wait…if he defeated Riot and Bloodbath…why is Goku still so weak?" Tien suddenly wondered out loud. Everyone looked at him, except Vegeta, who was watching Erik's deeds with great pleasure.

"Game over Vagane. Your dream joins the dream of all other tyrants…in hell, where you belong…but you will take a LONG time in getting there." Erik said, as he thrust his claws back.

Then the voice spoke.

"Creation made me too."

The familar female voice made everyone whirl with a gasp, their hearts suddenly encased in ice. Some almost wet themselves, while others began to tremble uncontrollably.

It hit Erik like a bolt of lightning, and he turned, his eyes filling with shock and horror.

Then the black ball flew out of the smoky shadows.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!" Erik screamed as it slammed into him, Vagane torn from his grasp. He fell to the ground as Erik was carried away again, but this time he didn't bellow for Vagane. His scream was somehow even more raged.

"NOT YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

He hit the cliff and it collasped on him. Everyone paid that no mind though. All their eyes were fixed on the figure that appeared in the smoke.

Then she walked out, smiling. Everyone's hearts somehow went even colder.

"Ladies and gentleman, THE BITCH IS BACK!" Agony crowed, raising her hands and giving a slight bow.

"Daddy…daddy…" Pan whimpered, clinging to her father. Indeed, everyone was holding someone. The only one who did not seem scared was Vagane, as he stood up, wiping blood from his face.

"Ah…my daughter…you made it here." Vagane said. Agony looked over at Vagane, and again, she seemed confused.

"You're my father…" Agony said. Vagane smiled.

"Yes…yes I am…"

"Oh god…I feel father's ki in her...no…she didn't…she didn't…" Goten stammered.

"My dear…where are…your…?"

"My children are gone. They were not worthy of the power they had…so I took it…and got rid of them." Agony said. Vagane smiled.

"I should have known that clones would be unworthy. Only the real thing would do. I see that now." Vagane said, as Agony continued to look at him. "Come, my daughter. You wish to destroy everything? We can do it together! I will create life for you to wipe out, and we shall go about unchallenged FOREVER!" Vagane said, his voice triumphant.

Agony kept looking at him.

"You're my father…" she said again. Vagane looked at her in confusion.

"But then…that means…Daddy, you never tucked me in at night and gave me a kiss." Agony said.

The evil in her voice made Vagane's eyes go wide.

"You never dressed up as Santa Claus and brought me presents…or gave me a Corvette for my sweet sixteen…"

"No…no!" Vagane stammered as Agony's hand came up crackling with black, damning power.

"You never put my pictures on the fridge…you never threatened my boyfriends…you never even said you…loved me." Agony said, her voice a low chuckle.

"NO! NOOOOOOOOO!" Vagane screamed, as he turned and ran. Agony laughed and thrust back her hand.

"So as you might have guessed, I have a few UNRESOLVED ANGER ISSUES!"

And then Agony hurled the black ball of power at Vagane as he fled. He screamed.

The explosions consumed him, and Vagane vanished in the destructive power with a wail of agony, as her attack blew up the ground everywhere around him as well. Everyone gaped at the act.

A stop of charred black material came floating down, a burnt strip of Vagane's lab coat. Agony smiled and brought her hand up to her mouth, blowing a kiss.

"Love you Daddy." She said, and then turned to the Z Warriors and Legacy.

"Ah…so many faces…I don't know you and yet I do…but I think you know me."

And then Bra snapped, as she looked at the face that had haunted her nightmares for years, even though she couldn't remember what had occurred. The face of the woman who had caused unbelievable torment to her and her family.

That terrible smile…and those inhuman, horrible eyes…

Bra leapt forward, going SSJ in mid-leap.

"BRA, NO!" Vegeta screamed, as Bra bore down on Agony.

"YAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!" Bra screamed, as she thrust back her hand and fired a huge golden bolt forward at Agony.

The explosion consumed her as Bra stopped and began firing hundreds of ki blasts at the spot where Agony had been, screaming the whole time. She kept it up until she was exhausted and unable to throw any more ki.

Then the laughter floated out of the smoke, and Bra froze. She had a dim feeling of wetness as her bladder again went loose.

Agony was revealed, her flesh healing as the terrible black power floated over her. She smiled and looked at Bra.

"Well well well…the little girl who was my first victim the first time I came here…my my, how big you've gotten." Agony chuckled, before her smile turned to one of terrible delight.

Bra couldn't move. Her legs seemed to be fused to the ground. As she could do was tremble, her heart pounding so fast it felt like it might explode.

Agony brought up her hand as black power crackled on it.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Vegeta screamed, leaping forward towards his daughter. He would not let it happen again! NEVER!

"So little girl…I CLAIM YOU ONCE MORE!" Agony shrieked, and fired the black bolt of unholy energy at Bra.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Vegeta screamed as he flew as fast as he could. But it wasn't fast enough, as the bolt headed towards Bra. He wasn't going to make it, he was going to see his daughter die all over again…

The red bolt slammed into Agony's attack from the side, throwing it away from Bra. The next second Vegeta had scooped his daughter up and flown away. Bra collasped against her father, weeping, as he set down and looked at Erik.

Erik stood, one hand out, blood red lightning crackling all over his frame. Agony turned to look at him.

She smiled, her face lighting up.

"Erik…I had a feeling that was you."

Erik said nothing, staring at Agony. He cared no more for Vagane, Riot, Bloodbath, or anything. She had stolen them all…but he didn't care.

"You…somehow…it always comes down to you…" Erik snarled. Agony smirked.

"I see you got a makeover. Looks good. I like the elbow blades."

"Always you. Vagane ordered the murder…but you did it…you have plagued my life seemingly forever...you were the hand that took all I held dear…you…always you…"

And then Erik screamed as the ground was shattered around him. The Z Warriors and Legacy flew backwards as Erik destroyed all the ground around him except where he and Agony were standing.

"Here we go again!" Brigh said.

"Erik…"Christine whispered. "Oh please…don't…you dare die…against her."

"KILL HER!" Vegeta screamed. His scream was joined by all the other Z Warriors.

Agony was again inflicted on their world…but this time, someone had been waiting.

Agony stood on her pillar, her eyes showing no impression. Instead, all she did was smile.

And then Goten saw it. It had come out of nowhere, the golden necklace in Erik's hand. But he knew what it was. Erik had shown him it an eternity ago.

As what was burnt ruins of Vagane's lab were finally and utterly destroyed by Erik's power, Erik looked at the open necklace. The force in his hands could shatter buildings, but the necklace remained undamaged.

Erik looked at his family, as his sisters, his mother, his father…him. They had always been happy. But ever since Agony had come, he had known no happiness.

No more. It ended now.

Erik closed the picture and then slowly brought the necklace up, bringing it down gently as it put it on. He fought for more then himself now. He fought for them.

"This…is the end of the road…AGONY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The lightning bolts increased tenfold. Agony laughed, calling up her own power. She had no fear of Erik. Indeed, she feared nothing.

"THIS…IS THE END AGONY! ONLY ONE OF US LEAVES THIS BATTLEFIELD ALIVE!" Erik bellowed, the powers of destruction raging around him.

Agony said nothing. But her eyes showed delight.

The sun would rise soon…and it would either rise on a new day…or the last day of all existence.

__

They're different…

Yet hauntingly simular…

Inhuman…unearthly...and yet more so then any mortal being…

The light the dares the darkness…

The darkness that devours the light…

Bound by a past still etched in the minds of all those it has touched, they cannot coexist…

They can never rest in peace…

They can only fight…

And fight…

Till DEATH DO THEY PART!

Next Chapter: Redemption vs Agony: CONSUMING MADNESS!

God have mercy…


	9. Consuming Madness

Chapter 9: Consuming Madness

__

"My life suffocates. 

Planting seeds of hate. 

I've loved, turned to hate. 

Trapped far beyond my fate. 

I give. 

You take. 

This life that I forsake. 

Been cheated of my youth. 

You turned this lie to truth. 

Anger. 

Misery. 

YOU'LL SUFFER UNTO ME!"

Mettalica, Harvester of Sorrow

What is evil?

What makes it so seductive? What gifts does it offer to consume so many hearts? What seductive siren song does it sing until it has its chosen pressed to its cold, emotionless breast? Why do so many fall into its grasp? Why do so many more go there willingly?

What breeds evil in a person? Unbringing? Genetics? Situations? Luck? Fate?

Can such a question even be answered?

Many people have been labeled evil when they in fact were not. Acts of violence against people, places, things, systems…they in itself are not evil. What motivates people to do these things? 

Hatred?

Hatred is, in itself, not evil, for it inveitably is derived from fear or lack of information. Is a man evil because he is afraid, even though his fear may seem ridiculous if seen by an unprejudiced eye? Is a man evil because he does not know the whole story?

Such accusations carry little weight, and they do not breed evil. Not in itself.

Greed?

Perhaps…but not all men, for their love of money, possessions, or whatnot, will be driven to acts of evil. If a writer wants more money, the only way for him to do so is write. And he cannot risk turning out a mediocre tale, less he lose fans and hence the money he desires. Thus, he must do his best, whether for finicial greed or the greed or becoming even more well known and respected. And for those who have more money then God and still desire more, there are easier ways to get it, rather then resorting to the acts of evil. Greed for more is more usually a battle of what is better…or more convient. In itself, it also cannot breed evil.

Pride?

Can the arrogance of the human heart lead to evil? Or is it just one of the keys that drives evil on once it has bloomed? Even the greatest of prides do not reflect what is truly in the heart of a person. The most arrogant can become heroic…and the most humble can become monsters. Pride cannot be used as a measure. Once again, it cannot truly breed evil.

But then, what can?

Perhaps there is no way to understand evil. Perhaps it is a fool's errand to even try.

But yet it demands understanding, for evil is the one that takes action. Good is the one that must reclaim whatever evil has done once it has been revealed. Good does not go out with plots, plans, and terrible ideas. Good is merely the reaction.

But as evil mocks, good seems to be a futile reaction, one that seems to be self-destructive. For good is bound into its systems and ways, ways that may simply will not work against some. Good has rules…evil does not. This seemingly cripples what good can do. After all, what can it do if the evil deeds fall outside of its rules? And it cannot break those rules…it could seem to be evil.

It is as if good desires its own destruction. And that is what evil wants ultimately. To gain total and eternal dominance.

However, evil is too blind in its mockery to realize that in its action, it too is self-destructive. To gain total control is to upset the balance of existence. There cannot be darkness if there is no light. Swing the scale all the way…and everything will be torn apart and consigned to oblivion.

But evil does not realize this…and even if it does, it would never stop. Hence…it to is marked with the same seeming self-destructive taint as good.

Perhaps this battle cannot be understood…but what can be understood is that in the hearts of humans, both good and evil exist, each lurking on the opposite side of their coin. Whatever the reasons, a human will ultimately make the choice to follow one.

Erik Damien Ravensky and Patricia Delhart have made their choices.

And fate has cast them to hold the dice of existence.

Good…

Evil…

The world may not understand them, or how they war, or if a side can ever win.

But for those who watch, they know that once the battle is done…they will have to bear the consequences.

And heaven help them if it comes out wrong.

On each side of the field…the players.

On one side lurks a male figure with wings of black metal and eyes of blazing hate. Once, he was a young boy, who had a family and happiness. Now, he is a man…a man who has seen his life become a series of tragedies. But he has refused to break. He has endured it all, even a darkness born within him that an evil man tried to unleash for his own dark desires. But instead of being unleashed, the force was defeated and its power torn from it for reasons of vengeance.

He goes by many names. He calls himself the Angel of Death…although with his black wings and snapping metal tail, one wonders if he is just a pair of horns away from being the opposite. He calls himself Redemption, for what he desires. He calls himself Vengeance, for what he will forever desire.

And like the people who lay cast in eternity in the gold necklace he wears around his neck, people now peacefully resting in the earth, he is the last Ravensky. He may have a sister, but in a way, she was never a Ravensky, the chance torn from her by evil hands.

And those who dare to call him friend call him Erik. He will dare to be the sword of good…but not without his cloak of darkness and cruelty around him.

On the other side…madness, a madness that consumes that devours anything that crosses its path. Once, this was a girl named Patricia Delhart. Now it is something else, beyond words and almost beyond evil. She is darkness given flesh, a soul devouring storm unleashed on a fragile earth. Her eyes show the endless void within her, her heart pumping not blood but the ebony blackness of night. She is a wolf that hunts children in their cradle. She is an eater of worlds, just like her creator. She is his Herald of Destruction. She is the nightmare known as Agony. Once, she brought her thunders down on this realm, and it was nearly crushed. Now, once again, she marshalls her powers for an offensive…and this time, the game will be played for keeps.

The world shudders beneath the two warriors, as if it knows that its fate is about to be decided.

And elsewhere…the observers. They too have fought many battles, and almost all have done their own acts of heroism. But each, in their own way, knows that this fight belongs to Erik.

The Z Warriors.

The Legacy.

Buffy Summers.

And the vampire known as Spike.

They will either see a ruined soul finally achieve the redemption he desires.

Or they will be the first to die at the hands of an unstoppable monster.

But they have no plans of dying peacefully. If Erik does fall…

They may fall too. But like him, they will go fighting to their last breath.

There was no doubt in Erik's heart though. He knew he would win. If fate slapped him down again…

"You never learn, do you boy?" Agony suddenly said, as she stood on her pillar, rock and pebbles swirling around her. Erik looked at her. She smirked.

"It's always the same. You think your destiny is to slay me for my crimes…the crimes against you and your family. Only I see the truth. Your destiny is not to win. Your destiny is to join them."

Erik snarled.

"Never!"

"Oh?" Agony said. "Your own actions and history lie to you. How many times have you entered dangerous situations without a thought? How many lives have you saved at great risk to your own? How many times have you tossed aside your own welfare for the sake of strangers? Your actions tell the truth. You want to die, boy. You always have."

Erik's snarl built to a roar, as more and more blood-red lightning blasted from his form, tearing up his pillar and ripping open the ground and air around him.

"I will not die. You will Agony! FATE HAS DEALT ME ITS LAST CRUELTY!"

Agony laughed.

"No, boy. It's only just begun."

Erik's eyes glowed red, and then he suddenly screamed as he thrust his arms out.

Beam of blazing energy suddenly poured from his body, but he wasn't attacking Agony. It was as if his rage had become so great it had taken physical form and begun expelling itself from Erik's body.

The beams blasted across the horizon and tore through the black, thundering clouds above Erik. His whole body surging with power, Erik brought up his hand as red fire exploded on it.

"Look apon this Agony. This…is the mechanism…OF YOUR DOWNFALL!"

Agony smiled and licked her lips.

"A Daughter of Death…vs a Lord of Destruction…you shall soon see who is the mightier."

The red fire exploded into an even more fierce blood-red flame.

"And you shall soon see…Agony…THAT YOU WILL LOSE!"

And Erik thrust his arm out.

Agony leapt upward with some surprise as her cliff perch exploded underneath her feet as Erik blasted the top of it. The rest of the cliff crumbled as Agony flew up into the air.

And then Erik exploded into action, blasting up and off his cliff with so much force the whole thing shattered into pieces and collasped. Down in the crowd, Goku and Vegeta's eyes widened as memories of a battle fought long ago came back to them.

Agony's eyes widened as Erik blazed up at her.

Then her eyes were crushed along with her whole face as Erik slammed his fist across her face, spraying blood and bone chips. Agony flew backwards, and Erik zapped up, around, and then below her. He thrust his legs up and smashed them across Agony's back, nearly breaking her in half from the force of the blow.

Agony flew up, then her body twisted as she turned around, her face forming back into her cruel smile.

Then her eyes widened as she found Erik blazing at her again. She thrust up her hands.

Erik changed his course, zapping around Agony. Agony whirled as a black spear formed in her hand, and then she hurled it at Erik.

Erik blurred away and the spear missed, and then Erik's foot blasted through Agony's chest, blowing ruined pieces of lung, rib bones, and other body parts. Then Erik thrust his hand down and Agony's body was blown off his leg by a powerful blast. The ruined pieces went smashing through a cliff face and then went crashing into another cliff.

The air was briefly still.

"YAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" Agony screamed as the cliff exploded away from her in a violent storm of shrapnal. She snapped her head up as Erik flew down towards her. The flesh as her fingers exploded away to reveal razor sharp metal blades as Erik flew towards her.

She slashed at Erik.

Erik leapt over her and pistoned backwards from his leap, smashing into Agony with his shoulder. Agony flew forward before she flipped over and zapped at Erik, black energy crackling on her fingers.

Erik ducked low and caught her in the stomach with a cracking punch, blowing Agony's whole abdomen out her back. 

Agony seemed to stagger, ragged intestines hanging out her stomach and her bloody spine broken into pieces. She looked into Erik's burning eyes.

"Fight me, Agony. I know you can fight harder then this! DESTROY ME OR BE DESTROYED! BECAUSE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, THIS ENDS NOW!" Erik bellowed, and slashed his hand at her head.

Agony caught it. Erik gasped as her wounds healed.

"You sad, pathetic little worm."

Agony's backhand nearly knocked Erik's jaw off as he flew backwards. He flipped and bounced off a cliff face.

Then Agony slammed into him from above, jamming her feet into Erik's back and shoving him into the ground. Rock flew up in a spray as Agony jumped backwards off of Erik as he tried to jam his elbow blades at her. Erik jumped to his feet, and then Agony knocked his block off with a spin kick.

Erik hit the ground, and then he suddenly found Agony laying on top of him. She purred.

"Poor little boy. You think you know the cruelties of fate. You don't even know what cruelty is." Agony purred, like she was whispering to her lover.

"GYYYAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Erik bellowed before he and Agony were consumed in a gigantic explosion of his summoning. The Z Warriors and Legacy recoiled as they were pelted with shrapnal.

The smoke cleraed to reveal Erik on his feet again, hunched over and gasping from sheer fury. On his other side, Agony was reforming.

"I'LL…KILL…YOU!" Erik hissed.

Agony smiled.

"Oh really…lover?"

"ARRRGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"

Erik flew at Agony, and she leapt at him.

The two warriors vanished, and their forms was replaced by a roiling cloud of dust, smoke, and energy as the two fought. The ground shattered underneath them as they battled.

Then the cloud of energy and dust exploded away, blazing across the ground and ripping apart anything near it. It blasted through a cliff face and reduced it to pebbles.

"LOOK OUT!" Trunks yelled, and the group scattered as the destructive cloud blasted through their midst, leaving a smoking channel carved in the black rock that Vagane's lab had been situated in. The cloud blasted through another cliff face and then carved a series of tunnels through a mountain before the rock structure also collasped.

The cloud blasted out of the wreckage, Erik and Agony still moving too fast to be seen. The Z Warriors scattered again as the cloud blazed past them, and Pan let out a cry as a spare tendril of energy flicked her arm, burning it. Gohan got angry, but he couldn't tell if the bolt had come from Erik or Agony.

The blazing cloud of annihalation blazed its way up a cliff, leaving the sizzling rock channel the whole way. Finally it stopped, and the cliff shook under the forces being emitted.

Then it stopped shaking, and the smoke cleared.

Everyone gaped as Agony was revealed, the last tears on her outfits vanishing. There was no sign of Erik at all.

"No…" Christine whispered.

And then Goten pointed, and everyone looked up to see Erik floating up in the sky, a few hundred feet above and behind Agony.

Slowly, he extended his hand, and although he whispered it, everyone heard him as clear as day.

"Turn around Agony."

Agony heard him too, and did so as red lightning crackled on Erik's hand.

"I want you to see the face of your undoing."

The ground around Agony blasted upward in shattered ruins as Erik slammed the ground where Agony had been with a bolt of sheer concussive force. The shock wave nearly knocked everyone off their feet again. Agony's body literally exploded in a cloud of blood before energy exploded up and consumed her.

And then the only sound was debris raining down.

"You think he did it?" Buffy asked.

**__**

I don't think so. This is gonna end with a bang, and that was just a whimper.

Erik floated down to the ground, his tail lashing around. He slowly licked blood off his top lip, waiting.

Black energy exploded from the crator as Agony floated up, her body reforming. She slowly floated to the edge of the crator and set herself down almost daintily.

"Your new abilities are so delightful. I was getting bored of our usual fare." Agony said, chuckling. Erik growled again.

"My turn."

And then Erik was flying backwards as Agony punched him. Erik flipped over and jumped forward at Agony.

Agony dodged aside and slashed her hand across Erik's back. Erik yelled and whirled, diving at Agony.

The two vanished as the destructive cloud exploded around them again, but this time it stayed in one place. The two warred for about fifteen seconds before Erik flew backwards.

He landed and fell to one knee, blood leaking down his black metal arm. Blood also leaked from a cut above his eye. He blinked as it ran into it, and then trickled on down his face.

Agony looked at Erik's blood, and she licked her lips.

Erik's right upper arm cracked open to reveal his cannon, and he let loose with a spray of blood red projectiles at where Agony was standing. She vanished in explosions. Blood red power exploded on Erik's left hand and he threw a ball of power after her. The explosion multipled.

Then Agony blasted out the explosion, her fist slashing out and catching Erik across the face. Erim flew and Agony pummeled him, laughing, before she smashed her foot into his gut. Erik flew into another cliff face, the rock exploding outward as he drilled into it.

Agony laughed and flew up, her arm crackling with black ki, and then she thrust her hand forward, firing a huge bolt of power at where Erik lay.

"Erik, get up!" Christine yelled.

"Baka, get her!" Vegeta yelled.

**__**

D-VON, GET THE TABLE!

"Die boy!" Agony laughed.

Then a red blast exploded out of the hole and countered Agony's blast. The two met and formed a dome shape as they pushed against each other, power sizzling on each side.

Slowly, Erik began to fly out of the hole, his beam growing shorter as he grew closer to the apex of his blast. Agony growled and began flying forward herself, her own blast growing shorter.

Soon, both of them were at ground zero, their beams only flying a foot before they met. The two warred for dominace.

Agony smiled, and then thrust her hand back and fired a black energy spear.

Erik blasted energy from his eyes to meet the spear.

The two attacks met, and they and the twin blasts exploded, consuming both Erik and Agony in a massive mid-air blast. Goten gaped in horror at the carnage, and Marron tightened her grip on his hand.

Then Erik flew backwards out of the explosion, flying down to the ground.

Then black ki projectiles began flying out of the smoke. Erik leapt away from the first as it exploded in a 20-foot dome of energy and then leapt away from the next one as it did likewise. The smoke cleared to reveal Agony throwing blast after blast at Erik, who leapt around as the whole field around him was consumed in explosions.

Erik landed as Agony's final projectile exploded behind him, backdropping him in devastation.

"Your aim sucks."

Agony smirked.

And then she opened her mouth as energy exploded from within her and out her mouth, blasting at Erik.

Erik snapped his head to the side and the bolt of power flew off into the distance and exploded.

"Like I said." Erik added, and flew at Agony, cocked back his fist and punching half her face off. He crushed the remaining skull with another punch and then kicked her body away before he blew it apart with a blast.

The body formed back together even as it flew at Erik, Agony's bladed fingers slashing at Erik's face. Erik caught her arms and threw her away. Agony crashed up against a cliff edge. Bones snapped, then healed immediately.

Erik snapped out his wings and fired a blast from them, but Agony leapt over it and the cliff exploded. She brought up her hands.

Then her hair extended and lanced at Erik, a million living hungry needles. Erik leapt away from the first charge and slashed her wing through the second, but there simply proved to be too many strands as more came from nowhere and wrapped around Erik's arms and legs. They sizzled against the metal.

"OW! LET ME GO YOU MISTRESS 9 WANNABE!" Erik yelled, firing several blasts at Agony. Agony dodged, and Erik used the oppurtunity to slash away her hair with his elbow blades and tail before he flew at Agony again. Agony brushed away the last of her extended strands and blasted at Erik herself.

The two met, each slamming their fist into the other before Agony slammed into Erik and they tumbled to the ground. Agony's arm turned to a barbed metal sword blade and she thrust it at Erik's head.

Erik caught it with his hands, holding it back barely as Agony shoved it downward. Erik looked at her cruel, smiling features, staring into the black orbs of terrible lust that were her eyes.

In them he saw the desolation that awaited Earth and existence if he failed.

Erik shoved Agony away and snapped out his claws. They slashed the air, carving Agony into pieces that immediately reformed. Erik snarled and snapped his leg out, sending Agony crashing into another cliff face.

Laughing, Agony blasted upward and fired off several black energy spears. Erik dodged away and retaliated with a two handed spiral blast that blew Agony apart. But as her pieces flew away, black energy erupted and brought them back together. Getting even angrier, Erik slashed his wings through the air and fired off several Kienzen-like blasts that again sliced Agony into pieces. Taking a note from Mirai no Trunks, Erik then fired a cone-shaped expanding blast that flesh-fried the pieces before they could reform.

Breathing heavily, Erik waited as the smoke cleared. There was no Agony. Erik jerked his head around, looking.

No Agony.

Erik kept looking around.

No Agony.

"ERIK ABOVE YOU!" Goten screamed, as Agony reformed above Erik and slashed downward.

Too late, as Erik screamed as Agony opened a long ugly cut along his back. Agony hit the ground and bounced away as Erik turned, feeling blood pour down his back. She'd slashed right through his metal guards.

Laughing, Agony licked Erik's blood off her fingers.

"You taste as good as your mother."

Snarling, Erik slashed his arm at the ground and energy erupted along it in a blazing stream. Agony leapt upward, and Erik lanced at her. Agony thrust out her hand and fired a huge blast at Erik, but he blurred away and the blast blew another crator in the ground.

Erik blurred above Agony and slammed into her, driving her down into the ground again with another explosion. Agony slashed at Erik as he leapt away, and then dove at her again as the two started another war of blows. Fields of rock shrapnal rose into the air around them.

"They just don't quit, do they?" Brigh marveled.

"With Erik's rage, and her kami-damned ability to survive, they could tear the whole planet apart before there's a winner." Vegeta said.

"No…" Goten whispered. "I can feel it. Erik is starting to grow tired."  
Everyone looked at Goten. His eyes showed more worry then usual.

"For all Erik is, at his core he's still human. Humans have limits. Agony…I don't think her body can even comprehend limits any more."

"What? No way! Erik's not going to lose!" Ash said.

**__**

Maybe we should gets cameras and sell this as a PPV later.

"He's not going to give up…but if he's going to win…" Goten said before he trailed off. He didn't want to answer that question. No one did.

Erik kicked at Agony, but she dodged away and punched downward at him. Erik also dodged and Agony's fist shattered the rock, breaking every bone in her hand. As the bones fused back together, Erik tried another kick, but Agony was following up her failed punch with a kick of her own and the two kicked each other in the face.

The two were tossed back. Erik regained his feet and wiped blood from the corner of his mouth as Agony's broken nose twisted back into shape.

"You're hitting harder…thanks." Agony smirked.

Erik growled as blood-ed lightning exploded on his hands. It also crackled to life on the upper points of his wings, and then lighting blasted outward, connecting between Erik's hands, the points on his wings, and his hands and wings, forming a vague square-like shape.

Erik spreads his hands as the lightning crackled and then a beam of energy blasted from each point, crackling with the same energy that sizzled on Erik's hands and wings, blasting through Agony and exploding, blowing her to pieces. The energy wrapped around her pieces and began burning them away.

"DIE!" Erik yelled, as the energy tendrils coming from him increased.

Then laughter exploded from the pieces as black energy blasted from the pieces, slamming into Erik and knocking him backwards. The hunks of charred flesh flew together and formed back into Agony, as she continued to laugh.

Erik's lips skinned back from his teeth again as more red power exploded on his hands. Agony looked at it and smirked.

"Oh, what are you going to do, little boy? Blow me up again? I swear, men and explosions. I prefer impaling my victims, personally. What about that dear sweet sister of yours? I think she'd look rather nice with a large hole in her. And don't worry. When she's gone, I'll make her feel REAL at home." Agony said, smirking cruelly.

Everyone gaped at Agony's taunt. They knew what it was going to result in.

Erik's scream nearly shattered their eardrums as he flew forward and axe-handled Agony across the face, sending her flying backwards in a spray of blood. She slammed on the brakes as her face healed and Erik leapt at her again. She thrust her hands out.

Her blast missed as Erik leapt to the side, flashed past Agony, and then blasted backwards. He spun a few times and smashed Agony across the back, literally caving in her spine. Agony stumbled forward, her back healing, and then she whirled.

Right into Erik's follow-up spin kick.

The blow knocked her head right off her shoulders, and then Erik blasted her body up into the air after the head.

The head reconnected with the fried body as the cells rapidly rebuilt. Agony was no sooner done healing then Erik slashed at her again. Agony snapped her fingers out as they turned into knives and the two enganged in a slashing war of punches. Blood rained down as Agony was repeatly slashed again and again, losing gallons of blood in seconds and regaining it in seconds.

"Since you couldn't give your heart to that girl father killed, why don't you give it to ME!?!?" Agony laughed as she stabbed at Erik's chest. Erik flew up to avoid it and lanced down, blasting a punch across Agony's face that rang through the air like a gunshot.

Agony flew down, and Erik followed, their bodies twisting around as they punched and kicked each other.

Agony won that war, kicking Erik into the ground. As Erik stood up in the newly formed crator, Agony thrust her hands down as black energy formed on them and then two huge energy hands lanced from her arms down at Erik.

Erik dodged away, and as they struck the ground he flew up at Agony. But Agony swung up her head and thrust it down as her hair extended again, wrapping around Erik's leg. With a cry of joy, she swung Erik around her head and threw him into another cliff, which collasped in a cloud of dust.

Roaring, Erik exploded from the ruins and and fired two blasts at Agony. She dodged away from them, but she flew right into Erik, who had zapped into her from the side. He slashed out his talons, tail, and wing, chopping her into pieces. As she reformed, Erik flew upward and spun, kicking his legs downward and bashing Agony into the ground.

As Agony began getting to her feet, Erik flew up as blood-red lightning crackled on his form, and then he zapped downward, his fist pistoning out and down at Agony.

Agony looked up in horror as Erik bore down on her.

Then she smiled and blurred away.

Erik's fist stuck the ground, and the earth was thrown into seizures from the cracking impact. The Z Warriors flew up to avoid the spasms, while the Legacy and Buffy pitched and rolled, trying to keep their feet. A massive chasm split opened from where Erik had punched, tearing open along the ground in a fissure thirty feet across and god knew how deep. Goten could have sworn he saw the faint red glow of molten magma.

As Erik growled, looking at the chasm he had created while trying to hit Agony, Piccolo's eyes widened as Agony blurred behind him, already raising her hand.

"ERIK LOOK OUT!"

Almost in slow motion, Erik began to turn as particles of black light flashed into existence around Agony's fist, only to be pulled inward and into her palm. As Erik completed his turn, Agony completed her power up. She smiled at Erik's shocked face.

"Boom."

And then a gigantic blast of black power erupted fom her hand, spreading out and utterly vaporizing anything in front of her. Erik screamed as the blast consumed him, and everyone cried out in shock as the building sized beam blew forward, blasting through the mountains in the background and blowing them to ash, leaving a huge hole hundreds of feet wide.

From the blast, Erik's limp, smoking form flew upward, and everyone watched in horror as his bleeding, burnt body fell into the chasm. With one final laugh, Agony flew upward and clenched her hand shut.

The chasm closed with a thunderous bang, the earth smashing together and leaving no trace of the hole that had been there. Christine cried out in horror.

"MWA HA HA HA HA! He dug his own grave!" Agony lauhed, and thrust her hand down. A section of stone suddenly shattered and flew away. Gohan's heart filled with anger and sickness when he saw it was a huge cross. The sickness only increased as Agony continued to laugh.

Then something caught her eye, a flash of light on something gold, and she looked.

The same thing caught the eye of all the Z Warriors, Legacy, and Buffy. Goten gasped.

Falling through the air, the chain tarnished and scorched, was Erik's necklace, containing the lone picture he had left of his family. Agony's attack had torn it off his neck, and now it was falling back to the earth where Erik had been laid in rest in.

"No…" Goten said in horror. Erik would have never let that chain be seperated from him…unless he no longer…

Agony smiled as the chain and locket was about to hot the ground, reaching out her hand. One last reminant of her greatest opponent to be…

Erik's hand exploded from the earth, bleeding metal fingers clamping around the locket as it fell into his hand.

Agony's eyes widened.

And then the ground exploded out in a hail of rock shrapnal as Erik burst forth with a roar. Agony threw up her arms as sharp daggers of stone slashed across and through her body even as the force wave threw her backwards. Her wounds closing, she looked around for Erik.

Erik dove in from above, smashing Agony across the face with the same fist that held his locket. She flew into the ground and smashed a ten-foot channel across the rock face with her body.

Erik flew after her as she wrecked the ground below her, as Agony flew out, her badly wounded back healing as she flipped around and landed, thrusting her hands out. With a scream, she fired off dozens of arcing black blasts at the same time.

Erik flew right into them, and they exploded in a firestorm of energy and smoke.

Then Erik, hurt but still going, flew right out the other end, engaging Agony in another war of blows. Agony ducked and dodged away and then leapt upward, but Erik followed her up and attacked at the same time as he spun, blood-red fire spiraling around him and blasting Agony. She reeled, and then Erik slashed both his wings up, cutting off her arms and throwing her backwards at the same time.

As Agony stopped as her arm grew back, Erik clenched his fists harder as his wings snapped out. His upper arms tore open to reveal his cannons.

And then with a scream, he began thrust his hands out as blasts began firing from everywhere: his hands, his cannons, his wings, even his body, thousands apon thousands of blasts that bore down on Agony.

They consumed her, and the Z Warriors saw that she was actually trying to block them. It wasn't working, as the blasts were tearing her to pieces bit by bit. Erik didn't stop his onslaught or his screaming as he held the pressure on Agony.

"It's working! It's killing her!" Yamcha yelled.

**__**

Great, now we can figure out how to make money off of this and how much of it I get!

Agony began to scream as more and more of her was torn away in the blasts, and then her arms were shattered and the blasts consumed her. She vanished from sight, but Erik held the blasts, firing and firing until he couldn't fire any more.

He slumped as his cannons closed, his tail hanging limply at his side and his shoulders heaving as he drew in deep ragged breaths. He was clearly exhausted.

"Did he win?" Pan said.

"Oh kami…please have won." Goten whispered.

"Oh me…let that bitch be dead." Dende said.

"I still think I could have taken her this time. I know her moves now." Vegeta scoffed. Bra smirked. It was his way of saying he was glad Erik had won.

**__**

Gee Erik, did ya hafta make the battle so short? We barely had time to sell the book rights, make the TV Movie, release the video, do the cartoon, cancel the cartoon, syndicate the…

Erik's tensing muscles made everyone shut up.

Then Agony flew from the cloud of smoke, as alive as ever. Erik set his pose to meet her.

Even prepared, it didn't work, as Agony ducked around his punch and smashed him into the ground with an axe handle. Everyone gasped as she flew down, landing on top of him.

Erik gasped for air as Agony planted a forearm of steel across his throat. Once again, Erik found himself looking into her crazy eyes, filled with the kill lust he had come to know so well, and her twisted love for him that he despised almost as much as her.

"You just don't get it, do you?" Agony purred. "No matter your form, your powers, your vows…it is all the same. This came into being because of I. I came into your life. I structured everything about you, your desires and wants, your hopes and fear…your future and very existence. I **_made_** you, Erik."

Agony brought up her other hand, her forefinger turning into a black barbed blade that she brought against Erik's forehead. She pressed it down slightly, smiling at the jolt of pain from Erik and feeling her desire burn as she saw the drop of blood emerge from the wound.

"And I can **_unmake_** you."

"NEVER!" Erik screamed, blowing Agony off of him with an expulsion of energy. Laughing, Agony flipped in mid-air as Erik was getting up and smashed him across the face with a flip kick. Erik flew backwards, bouncing along the ground and landing near the grouped warriors. Agony landed, laughing.

"Erik!" Christine yelled. Her cry was echoed in others.

Agony finished her laugh.

"I have grown bored with this game. It is time I finally ended it." Agony said, as she lifted her hands.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then the shadows around Agony began to warp and twist, and at the same time an appalling cry rose from the silence, a mind numbing shriek that tore right to the hearts and souls of all those watching.

"Dear kami, what is that!??!?!" Gohan yelled, covering his ears. But the terrible cry pierced through his fingers, driving into his brain, threatening to shred his sanity.

"I've never heard anything so horrible!" Piccolo cursed.

"Daddy, make it stop!" Bra cried.

"What the devil is that?!?!?!?" Vegeta yelled.

"It's their cry…" Goku whispered, her body shaking from the noise. "The cry of thousands apon thousands of souls…tormented in ways beyond comprehension…in the hell that lies within Agony…the hell where every one of her victims was cast into…"

Goten crumbled to his knees, his hands clamped over his ears so hard he fingers gorged small cuts in his face. If that was what lay within Agony…

"ARRRGGGHHHHHH!" Ash yelled.

"STOP THAT! ANYTHING! JUST STOP IT!" Christine cried.

Agony just laughed as the shadows twisted and flew around her even more violently, concentrating around her hands.

The only one who did not crumple was Erik, as he stood up. He knew the cries everyone was breaking before all too well. Like all the innocent souls that seemed to be flying around Agony, unable to be seen and yet seen with terrible clarity, Erik had heard the same cry from other souls, those ones stained and corrupted with blood. His link to Agony had never been more clear…or more terrible. In the end, they were both slayers of life. They just had different tastes.

"No…" Erik whispered, as he brought his own hands up. "You've taken…far too many…I will not…let another drop of blood…be spilled by your accursed fingers."

"Listen to it!" Agony crowed, oblivious to anything but her own ecstasy. "Isn't it marvelous? And think of how much greater it will song when all your voices are added to the harmony…when all the voices of all creatures are added! A HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"BITCH!" Vegeta roared, firing a blast at Agony. It disintigrated long before it reached her, blown away by the power flowing around her.

"Can't fail…failed too many…won't fail again…" Erik whispered, as white power began crackling on his hands.

The screams growing into a cataphony of torment, Agony raised her hands and looked at Erik as he brought his hands to his side.

"And you…boy…will finally be joined with those you love. How ironic…you claim I am your curse. You're wrong Erik. I AM YOUR SAVIOR!"

And Agony thrust her hands down at out, and fired _it._ In a way, it was like Riot's Doomsday blast, and somehow it was even worse, darker and blacker and tainted with an evil that Riot could have never matched. It wasn't so much a blast of power as it was an emission of Agony's purest essense, of death, destruction, and eternal hell.

White beams poured from Erik's fingers. In a small part of himself, he smiled. His friends used this position to fire an attack that had seemingly been woven into their blood. Now he would fire one that would either save them…or splash that same blood onto the cold, black earth.

"You…are not my savior Agony…you are…my final vow to all I hold dear…and this…is…MY **LAST JUDGEMENT!"**

And Erik thrust his hands forward, the white beam exploding from his hands and firing out to meet Agony's blast, the ground burning away from the power within the beams.

The two beams met, and the ground beneath them vaporized as the two began shoving at each other, beams of black and white light shooting off from the apex and tearing through rock faces, cliffs, the ground, and seemingly everywhere.

Agony laughed.

"Your last judgement, boy? THIS IS THE LAST ANYTHING YOU WILL EVER DO!"

The beams from Agony's hands flared up and increased in size, and began to push Erik's back towards him. Erik held his ground as his blast became shorter and shorter.

"Oh no…no…no…!" Christine gasped.

Somehow, above all the noise, Erik heard Christine's voice. His eyes trailed away from Agony and fell on her, her outfit torn and dirtied, her body battered and bloodied from all the fights she and everyone had been through, and the look of fear and desperation in her eyes. But it wasn't for her sake. It was for the brother she had barely ever known.

__

Not all fall by the hand of evil…some fall on the wayside and never know how to get back…she did…you've know her so little…are you going to let her lose you almost as soon as she found you?

Erik's eyes blazed.

"No."

Erik thrust forward and Agony's beam stopped cold. Agony stopped her laugh with some surprise.

And then Erik yelled and his beam began pushing Agony's blast back towards her. She almost looked confused before she set her legs and tried to stop the beam. But it wouldn't stop.

Slowly, the beams of black light that were pouring over her began being replaced by white beams as her blast was pushed back towards the apex. She growled and tried harder, but she still couldn't stop the blast.

Everyone watched and slowly, ever so agonzingly slowly, Erik's blast pushed Agony's back.

"No…no…this can't be happening! YOU CAN'T DO THIS!" Agony yelled.

Erik smirked.

"I'm not doing this, Agony. Fate is."

And then Agony's beam seemed to be broken, as Erik's blast expanded even more and broke over the edges of her beam even as it continued to be pushed back.

Burning energy began washing over Agony. Her continued beam acted as short of a shield from the brunt of Erik's attack, but it still wasn't enough to wholy block the blast. Bits of flesh began to be peeled off from Agony's face and body. She half-screamed, half snarled.

And suddenly Goten was stepping forward, thrusting his hands out.

"What are you standing there for? HELP HIM!"

And then Goten fired a beam of golden energy from his hands. It slammed into the invisible shield that Agony's power had created around her, but Goten held the blast anyway.

Everyone reacted, as they all raised their hands and fired off their own golden blasts at Agony. The Legacy raised their weapons and fired off a varierty of multi-coloured attacks, which joined the offensive against Agony.

Agony staggered under the sheer force being thrown at her, her power barely able to hold off all the attacks while she was still trying to hold back Erik's.

Then more ki blasts came raining down from the sky onto her, and Agony screamed and looked up to see Vegeta and his family. They had taken the air and begun their own assault down on Agony, all their hair the same radiant gold colour.

"Die you bitch!" Vegeta screamed as he kept firing. Erik's blast grew ever closer.

Agony's mad eyes blazed utter darkness as she suddenly shrieked.

"BEGONE YOU PATHETIC WORMS!"

And then Agony's black aura exploded out from around her, a wave of pure burning force. It swept across the ground and air and blew away all the Z Warriors and Legacy with a cry, sending them flying off into the distance on a hell-born wind. Even Vegeta was knocked away, spiralling off with his son and dauighter as he screamed protest and vengeance.

Agony turned her furious eyes back to Erik.

"And as for you, boy…SUFFER JUST LIKE YOUR FAMILY!"

And Agony's blast tripled, shoving away Erik's blast like it was nothing. In seconds Erik had lost all the ground he had gained and Agony's blast was pushing back towards him.

Erik watched in horror as it approached again, accompanied by Agony's mad laughter. His blast grew smaller and smaller.

Off in the distance, the Z Warriors and Legacy were regaining their feet, watching the latest development in dread.

"She's too strong…she's just too strong…" Krillian whispered, his hope finally crushed under the apparent fact that Agony could not be beaten.

The same feelings of doubt were sweeping through Erik as Agony's blast began drawing near to ground zero. He could feel the terrible power from the blast, an inferno of heat and yet an oblivion of cold.

Then he saw it.

Somehow, it had stayed in his hand the whole time, even now. The power was trying to make it fly away, but for now the locket stayed in his fingers, hanging on by a chain. Erik looked at it as the clasp finally gave up the ghost and broke, letting the locket fly open.

And Erik saw.

He remembered how gentle his father had always been, abhorring violence and saying that humans, if they were truly civalized, would use civalized methods to settle disbutes. However, that had not stopped him from taking up arms to try and defend his family against Agony. But he had failed.

He remembered how beautiful his mother's laugh was, a laugh that was reflected in Christine. Now she would never laugh again.

He thought of Marianna, his youngest sister, how she was always smiling goofily at anyone and everyone, never letting anything get her down. She even kept her smile when Erik had called her that his nickname for her, Booger, which she despised. Now that smile was eternal…but all its beauty had been lost.

He thought of Tamara, how serious she was for her age, and how intelligent she had been. She had wanted to be a lawyer, of all things. But her dreams were shattered.

All of them were.

Because of her.

Agony's laugh pierced through to his very core.

All because of her.

"DIE BOY!"

His whole life…all he ever wanted…torn from him…all…because…of her…

Erik clenched his fist around the locket harder.

The blast was inches from his hands.

Agony laughed once more.

And then with a scream of utter grief, rage, and vindication, Erik snapped out his wings and thrust forward.

His blast exploded, blowing away and shattering Agony's blast like it was nothing. Agony gasped as she went from on the verge of winning to staring down the ultimate expression of Erik's rage.

"NO!!!!!!!!!!"

The blast washed over Agony, throwing her off her feet and spreading out her arms and legs like she was being crucified as the beam of pure white pierced through her, lancing through every cell of her being.

"NO! THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE! I CANNOT BE…AAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Agony screamed before the blast tore her head apart.

Everyone watched as her body broke up, torn to shreds that were vaporized as the blast exploded. The whole mountain range shook and was reshaped by the utter power of the blast. 

The explosion blew skyward into space, and everyone on the planet heard the boom that echoed from the blast.

And then…there was silence.

As the debris rained down, everyone slowly lowered their arms to look apon the shattered and torn apart landscape.

"Wow." Buffy said. She had seen a lot in her young life, but she had never seen anything quite like what she had just witnessed.

"Is it over?" Lindsay said.

"God, I hope so." Diana added.

"That blast nearly fried the sensors in my eyes…ow…" Seventeen said, shaking his head.

**__**

Dammit! That means it probably ruined my film! I was gonna be rich!

Slow, the Z Warriors recovered from the shock and began flying towards where they had last seen Erik, carrying the Legacy and Buffy.

Chaozu saw him first, and pointed him out. Slowly, everyone landed before the standing figure that stood, his back to them, on the burnt rock slab.

"Erik…?" Goten said. They had kept their distance from Erik…just in case.

"Erik…is that you…?" Christine said.

The figure was silent and motionless, looking out at the smoky air. Searching.

"Erik…?"

And then Erik turned.

His eyes were of the deep blue that everyone had come to know. It was him.

"Erik!" Goten said.

"Hello Goten…" Erik said, his voice tired beyond belief. Goten's happiness quickly faded.

"Erik…is she…?"

Erik looked behind him.

"I had a link with her…it was my curse to always be linked to her…truly know…" Erik said, and then turned back to the Z Warriors.

"The link has been broken. Finally…she's gone for good."

Everyone was silent.

"Then…we won?" Pan asked.

Erik looked at her. He seemed to be struggling with words…but in the end, he got them out.

"We won."

The crowd exploded into whoops and cheers as everyone finally let their battle instincts slide and got into a celebatory mood. Ash picked up Christine and spun her around as the rest of the Legacy shook hands or hugged. The Z Warriors were reacting in a simular fashion, and then the two began to intermingle with each other.

Erik stayed still, standing on the cliff face, letting a cool breeze comfort his wounds. Finally…he was free.

Dende began doing some goofy dances to celebrate, while Tring stood still, not quite sure what to make of it. Dende was aware people were laughing at him, but he didn't care, as he laughed and sucked in loads of air, air which never seemed so precious and bountiful and…

Dende stopped as air wooshed through his nostrils and and a familiar sceent pricked in them. A scent that set alarm bells ringing in his brain.

"Blood…I smell blood…I SMELL BLOOD!" Dende suddenly yelled in a panic. Everyone stopped as he yelled it, and Erik, who had been in the process of lowering his head snapped ip up as his eyes widened.

Then he heard Goten's scream.

"ERIK LOOK OUT!"

Then it pierced through him, a black blast of pure malevolence, as thin as a finger. It tore through his back and punched through his lung before it blasted out his front in a torrent of blood. Erik screamed and crumbled, clutching the bloody wound.

And then the chuckle floated through the air, filling everyone's heart with ice again, as she was revealed, standing on the cliff, one finger pointing at Erik.

"I'm afraid you were a little too quick with your judgement, boy." Agony chuckled, as she swept her hair back.

"No…no…NO!" Vegeta whispered.

Erik stood, blood pouring down his front. Of all the thoughts and feelings coursing through him, he could only manage one word.

"No…"

Agony laughed.

"Oh, you thought you won because you couldn't feel our link any more, huh? Well boy, I had to do something while walking out of that desert…one of the things I figured out was how to block it. And once you hit me with that big blast, I figured it would be best if I played possum, blocked the link, and waited until you turned your back. You think that blast was going to kill me? You just don't get it! I cannot be destroyed with violence! Violence is my elixir!" Agony laughed.

The depth of Agony's cruelty was never more clear, how beautifully she had set Erik up for a fall. Indeed, as more blood soaked the ground around him, it was clear Erik was tettering on the very edge.

"You can never win boy. That is your destiny. Why can't you just accept it?" Agony smirked, his eyes shining with bloodlust.

Erik looked apon Agony with dead eyes.

__

"Pure black looking clear…"

He had done everything he could, used every trick he had, and Agony was still standing.She was simply unstoppable.

__

"My work is done soon here…"

But…he still had one last card up his sleeve.

__

"Try getting back to me…" 

He should have known he would never be redeemed. His sins were too great. But…

__

"Get back which used to be…"

He could still make things right.

__

"Drink up…"

Erik wiped his mouth with a bloody hand, tasting the salt of his own blood. If anything, he wouldn't let Agony have it.

"Shoot in…"

Erik tensed his muscles.

"_Let the beatings begin…"_

His metal fingers curled into fists. 

__

"Distributor of pain…" 

Erik looked at Agony once more. He almost looked…sad.

__

"Your loss becomes my gain…"

"Erik!"

Erik turned his head from Agony and saw Christine as she came up towards him, stumbling over the rock.

"Chris…" Erik whispered. He didn't want this to happen.

"You're hurt bad! Let me heal you!" Christine said as she came to Erik's side. She reached out for her power.

Then she stopped as Erik's hand suddenly unclenched and touched her cheek. Despite the metal, Erik's touch was as gentle as a feather's.

"Erik…?" Christine said.

"Chris…" Erik said. "Mom always wanted to be a grandmother. Could you please…grant her that wish?"

Christine's eyes widened, but she nodded dumbly, not understanding. Erik smiled slightly, and in that brief instant Christine saw the man Erik would have surely been if Agony had not come into their lives.

"Thank you…sis…and I want you to know...no matter what…I'll always love you."

Erik's intentions came to Christine in a flash as Erik lowered his hand away and held it before her.

"Goodbye…."

"ERIK, NO!" Christine screamed as she was blasted away. But it wasn't an attack. It was more of a push that threw Christine through the air, away from Erik and towards the Z Warriors.

Gohan caught her as she screamed again.

"What's going on?" Gohan yelled.

"He's doing a suicide attack! Stop him!" Christine screamed.

"What…ERIK NO!" Goten screamed.

"AGONY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The blood-red lightning erupted up on Erik's body, dancing on his form as he bellowed Agony's name to the heavens once more. The ground shattered and vaporized under him, huge chunks of rock floating up in the air before they were smashed to pebbles, and then dust. Erik's tail lashed the air.

"I'M NOT GOING TO HELL BY MYSELF!" Erik roared, as his fists clenched so tight blood exploded from between his knuckles. Agony stood, watching, as Erik snapped out his wings. 

"You're coming with me!" Erik screamed. "Now…taste the fires of righteous damnation…and CHOKE ON IT!"

And Erik blasted outward, his talons snapping out, his aura a blazing field of destruction as he flew at Agony. And as everyone screamed for Erik to stop, he screamed his final words.

"TASTE THE FIRES OF **VENGEANCE**!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Erik flew at Agony.

Christine screamed for him to stop.

And then the air around Erik and Agony exploded in terrible fire. At the same time, a terrible shriek filled the air, like metal ripping through metal.

The ground shook from the blast, and then the smoke cleared.

All the shocks that everyone had felt before, this one easily surpassed them all. They had expected to see a variety of terrible things.

But the image of Agony, one arm out, her flesh trailing into a blade that was pierced right through Erik's chest, her smirking face looking at Erik's contorted gaze, was far more horrible then anything they could have imagined.

No one noticed as Christine began to cry.

Erik felt the blade through him, piercing through his shattered heart, blood pouring from the wound. Despite the situation, he didn't want to believe it. Somehow…she'd gotten him. His final blow had been dodged and she had struck.

"This…no…" Erik gasped, as Agony smiled.

"You want to know the cruelest thing about fate, Erik?" Agony said, smiling as Erik's lifeblood ran down her arm. "We become the things we hate."

Erik could only gurgle, as he tried to lift his arms, tried to do anything. But he had nothing left to give. All he could do was scream inwardly as Agony's final revalation.

"When you flew at me to take me with you, you finally became what I always knew you were. You had finally stopped caring. You didn't care about your friends. Your didn't care about your sister. You didn't care about your dead love. You didn't even care about yourself. All you cared about was destruction…my destruction. The thing which is all I care about. At last I have finally done it. You haven't destroyed me…" Agony chuckled.

Then she reached over with a bladed finger and pressed it at one end of the V scar over Erik's right arm, and then sliced her finger to the side, drawing a bleeding across the V…forming an upside down A.

"You have become me." Agony finished, laughing.

"No…no no no NO!" Erik pleaded, not wanting to admit it was true.

"Oh, but it's true, boy. You finally possessed the same feelings as me, to destroy life. You always bore my mark…in your heart, and on your flesh. I think Xaxargas always wanted you and I to stand side by side…each the same. But I don't want competion, boy. So I'm afraid this has to end."

Erik began to scream as he was lifted up by Agony's power, a scream of terrible grief and pain.

"I'm not going to steal your soul, boy. I'm going to do even better. You have always been a part of me…so I will absorb you fully into my being…so I can always have you…and I can torment you in body, mind, heart, AND SOUL!" Agony laughed.

Erik's wings began to break into black smoke as he continued to scream. But there was no escape, as his body was slowly and methodically dissolved into a black mist that flowed around Aony. His screaming mouth was the last to go.

Agony laughed and reared back her head as her mouth opened. The mist flew into it, and she swallowed it down greedily, her eyes fluttering in esctasy as she imprisoned Erik within her.

Erik's locket clattered to the ground, as Agony closed her mouth. There was one final faint scream as Erik was cast into hell.

Then she opened her eyes, and smiled once more as the black pits temporarily became the colour of dark turquise. Erik's eyes.

"It has ended, boy. You have lost. You were always meant to." Agony said. Reaching down, she picked up Erik's golden necklace.

"I think I'll wear this as a momento." Agony chuckled, slipping the necklace on. The metal sizzled briefly and then turned night-black.

Agony took a slow breath as she closed her eyes.

Then she snapped them open as she felt Erik's incredible powers of destruction flow through her, adding to her own and the god-like powers she had stolen from her children.

"At long last, MY DREAM WILL FINALLY COME TRUE!" Agony crowed, as flaming piles of rock exploded up from around her and the dark clouds above her crackled with blood-red lightning as the world shuddered. Agony was once again a god, and this time her powers were even worse then before.

A giant dagger of flaming black rock stabbed up from below Agony, and she laughed as it carried her up, a giant perch flaming with the fires of destruction.

"Now…once again… THIS PLANET IS MY PLAYGROUND!" Agony laughed as she thrust her hand up and out, firing a gigantic blast off into the distance. It raked across the earth for hundreds of miles, destroying anything in its path.

"AHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!" Agony laughed, and she fired another blast in another direction, burning another blood-soaked streak across the earth.

Time flows like a river…history repeats…and now it seemed to all coming to an end.

"No…Erik…why…WHY!?!?!??!" Christine wept as her brother was absorbed into Agony, her greatest victim. Ash tried to comfort her.

Then Agony ascended, and everyone could only tremble from the gigantic power standing before them.

"This can't be happening…it's a nightmare…please, let me wake up…let me wake up…" Marron sobbed in pure terror as she clutched onto Goten, who was going through his own sorrow at Erik's fall and his own terror at Agony's rebirth as a destroyer of all.

Vegeta didn't know what to do except comfort his children, who were clutching him. They hadn't seen Agony's original ascent, the one that had resulted in the total destruction of the Earth and dozens of other planets, but that didn't matter. Agony's very essense triggered total terror in the bravest of hearts.

"What do we do?" Gohan said, holding onto Pan.

Then Goku whispered again.

"Fight…"

Everyone looked at him. In a way, he almost seemed to be smiling.

"You…are the last hope for all existence. Fight her…if we are all fated to die…let it be on our feet…with our swords in our hands and the fires of war burning in our hearts!"

Christine stood up, wiping tears away.

"He's right…we can't let her go unopposed…Erik would want it that way."

Goten set his jaw.

"She's right…we have to fight her…no matter the cost, the odds of winning…we have to stand. It was why Erik always fought. He knew that humanity could always be redeem for the crimes of its evil. We can't let her…get her claws into them."

There were nods. Goten sighed, then spoke again.

"I'll offer it…if anyone wants to flee…go ahead. We won't hold it against you. Hell, if I was in my right mind, I think I would run away." Goten said.

No one replied. Goten sighed. Ash took the oppurtunity to look over at Buffy.

"Buffy…you know, you don't have to do this. We dragged you into this…"

"Can it, Ash. I ran away once. It didn't solve my problems, and it won't solve them now. This fight is my fight too, and I'll stand by your side, and be honoured to do it." Buffy said, her eyes hard.

"Are you sure, Buffy? You've never fought anyone quite like her." Gohan said.

"And you've never fought with three other girls over a blouse at a clearout sale, but I don't plan on holding that against you, Gohan." Buffy replied.

"I don't have any big dramatic speech to make, but count me in too, mates."

Everyone whirled as Spike walked up. Buffy whipped out a stake, as Spike held up his hands.

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa! I'm here to help!"

"Help? You moron, I thought you would have crawled back under your rock by now!" Buffy snapped.

"I couldn't find one suitable, and anyway Betty, I doubt there's anywhere I can run from her." Spike said.

"Why should we trust you?" Christine said.

"You don't have to. I gain nothing in going against you now."

"I still say we should stake him." Buffy said. Spike looked at her.

"Hey Buffy, don't you remember something I told you, long ago, when we teamed up to take down Angelus? I don't want to see the world destroyed."

Buffy was silent. Spike went on.

"I joined up with Vagane because he said he would give me godhood by killing all those people and infusing the power of their souls in us along with himself. I wanted that godhood for revenge on you, Slayer. Once I was done, I was actually considering bringing you back to life so others could have a crack at you, and then going on my merry way. I didn't want to rule the world, that's too much of a bloody hassle, and I didn't want to destroy it either. I like my world. It has lots of great things, like alcohol, and foxy boxing, and shit like that. I figured that since I was on Vagane's side, he would leave my universe alone. But old Floaty's dead. And I'm afraid his crazy daughter don't have the same plans as he did. She wants to destroy EVERYTHING. You, me, Stone Cold Bloody Austin, EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING. That is not good for me. So I'm gonna hook up with you and do my bit. That, and I don't want someone else killing you. I've been beat up too bloody much to earn that."

Buffy's look never changed, but she put the stake away.

"Fine. But after this, you're dust!"

"I'm sure. Does anyone else have any bloody problems?"

There was some growls, but no complaints.

"Fine. Here Buff, you dropped this." Spike said, tossing Buffy the sword she had stolen from him. "I don't need it. I got my own weapons." Spike said as his face became feral.

**__**

I wouldn't recommend trying to suck her blood.

"Why? Does it lack taste?"

**__**

No, it would probably explode in your stomach. Or something. Why don't you try it and see, and I'll send it in to "Dumb Vampires Who Don't Listen 6!"

"Oh shut the hell up." Spike growled.

"Ok guys, we're going to go…"

"Leave me."

Goten looked at his father.

"What?"

"I'm of no use. Leave me behind." Goku whispered.

"But father…"

"Do it! You all have to fight! You can't all do it with me slowing you down! I've never given you an order, Goten, but I am now: LEAVE ME!"

Goten stared, then nodded.

"Ok father…I will…I love you."

"I love you too…son." Goku wheezed.

Goten turned.

"Let's go guys."

And he flew off, holding Marron. Slowly, everyone passed by Goku before they followed him.

"We'll be back father." Gohan said.

"I'll avenge this crime against you, grandpa." Pan said.

"I will make you proud sensei." Ubuu said, bowing slightly.

"Son…it will honour me to fight for life in your stead. You taught me just how precious it is." Piccolo said, and flew off.

Vegeta was the last to pause by where Goku was now sitting.

"You better not die, Kakarott. I still owe you an ass kicking!"

"Good luck to you too, Vegeta." Goku replied. Vegeta stared, then smirked with one side of his mouth.

"At last, I can prove my supremacy without you interfering!" Vegeta said, and flew off towards Agony with Bra and Trunks.

And then, Goku was alone. He looked off at Agony, as she stood on her flaming perch, delighting in her power.

Then Goku finally noticed it. Somewhere in the battle, Erik had sliced Agony's hair and it had not grown back to its previous long length. Her hair was now short.

"My…nightmare…oh dear kami…" Goku whispered as he finally realized what that horrible nightmare he had had several months ago had meant. (Writer's Note: That happened in my short story, "Cruel Hearts")

It had been a vision of things to come. But had it been a vision of what could happen…or what was going to happen?

"Oh Kami…Fate…please…if you don't wish to be destroyed as well…find a way for them to win!"

Agony laughed as she fired another blast off in the distance. A gigantic explosion blasted in the Pacific Ocean, creating a gigantic tidal wave that smashed against the ruins of California and swamped a good part of Japan.

"Ah, so many ways to kill people…but I have all the time in the world! AHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!" Agony laughed.

**__**

Oh just shut the hell up!

Agony looked down at the voice and saw the group gathered there. She smiled and leapt down off her flaming rock perch.

"So…what have we here?"

Christine gripped her bladestaff tightly.

"You murdered my brother." She hissed.

"You murdered our ally." Ash said, the Soulfire at the ready.

"You murdered our friend." Goten said, his family and allies all standing beside him, from the strongest to the weakest, all united and ready to fight to the bitter end.

Agony smirked.

"Oh, and so you all want to die too?"

"Not this time. This time, we know you. We can fight you. We will beat you. For us. For your crimes. For Erik." Vegeta said.

Agony stared.

And then she started to laugh.

"So…it has come to this…all these people…so very small…stand between me…and my dream of total destruction…AH HA HA HA HA HA! YOU FOOLS! Do you even comprehend what you face? I am Agony, the Herald of Destruction! I am the black heart of the universe, the slayer of hope and the devourer of the righteous! I AM UNHOLY WRATH! THE LAST TIME YOU FACED ME, I CUT YOU DOWN LIKE GRAIN BEFORE A SCYTHE! LOOK APON ME AND **DESPAIR**!!!!!!!!!"

Power exploded around Agony, ki and destruction and evil, ripping up the ground.

"Everyone, power up to your highest peak! United we stand, now and forever!" Goten yelled as his hair flaired up and turned gold, before golden lightning swallowed him and revealed him as a SSJ3.

With a combined yell, auras exploded as the powers of the Saiya-jin blood were released and the blades of heroes were drawn and charged. Buffy got into a battle stance, the wind from her fellows sweeping her hair around and giving the illusion that she was powering up as well.

Spike watched in distaste, feeling left out.

"Tell you what, I'll stand here and yell like I'm trying to take a big dump, Ok? I'll pretty much sound the same." Spike muttered, and did so.

And so the final lines were drawn. On one side, The Z Warriors, The Legacy, Buffy Summers, and William the Bloody.

On the other…the greatest evil that had ever existed. Patricia Delhart. Agony, the crown jewel of Xaxargas.

The beginning of the end had arrived.

__

You can't overpower her…

You can't outfight her…

You can't even hurt her…

All you can do...to win…is use the brightness within your heart…the hope within your soul…and the light within you that a great man died trying to protect…

But what if that's…not enough…?

To be continued.


	10. Darkest Before The Dawn

Chapter 10: Darkest Before The Dawn

__

"Blood on her skin…dripping with sin…she'll do it again…a living dead girl…"

Rob Zombie, Living Dead Girl

"Tell me what went wrong…cause baby I'm not that strong…I'm walking wounded…"

Tea Party, Walking Wounded

"I wanna live…I wanna love…BUT IT'S A LONG HARD ROAD OUT OF HELL!"

There was no real way to define where Erik was.

It was a place, and yet it was not. It was an idea, and yet it was not. It transcended all forms of catagorization. It seemed to be shifting, filled with constant fluxes. One moment it was hot, the next cold, and the next a feeling beyond human comprehension.

All Erik knew…was that he was falling.

And that he could still feel…if only one thing.

__

I lost. For all my power and my anger, I lost. After all my efforts, my promises, my vows…she beat me. She completed her collection…………………………

I never did a damn thing with my life. All those years of death and torture, what did I accomplish? I never managed to stop the evils of humanity, no matter how brutal and merciless I was. For every one I cut down, the next one replaced him/her with even more twisted desires and wants. All those I ever dared grow close to…I damned them to death and oblivion. I was too weak to protect them. I couldn't save my family. I couldn't save Celeste. And now I can't save…them. They will have to fight Agony in my stead…they'll never win. She can't be knocked down this time.

So this is what Fate wanted all the time. Nothing but suffering and oblivion for humanity…for life…for me. Have we really gone so far with our sins to be beyond redemption?

Perhaps I…but everyone?

I killed them all.

I was never a savior.

Vagane was right…I am a failure.

Failure…

The landing should have broken his neck. But where Erik was followed the rules of one thing, and they were as ever changing as the landscape.

Erik found though, that he could still feel pain.

He put a hand down on something that he did not know. But it managed to support his weight, as he slowly stood up.

Blackness. Nothing but total and utter blackness. There was no sound but his breathing…if he was still breathing. He knew he was hurting though. Pain trancended all things.

Erik blinked, and felt a familiar feeling. He lifted his hand and felt around the right side of his face, pressing against the flesh.

It wasn't flesh. It was his false covering, torn and shredded, and the metal underneath.

Erik realized with a jolt he could no longer feel his wings, tail, or any other part that he had aquired as Redemption. He had regressed back to his cyborg form.

But his machinery was dead. His eye still saw, and his arm still moved, but that was all. It was as if he had an arm and eye composed of metal, and solely that.

Erik looked around.

There was nothing but darkness around him. He could see himself, and that was all.

He didn't know what to do. Should he walk? Stand? Try to call apon his mechanics or his powers? Scream?

In the end, the question was answered for him.

"Erik…." The voice whispered. It was almost sing song, light and beautiful.

Erik whirled. It couldn't be. She'd died before Agony had come. She couldn't have…

"Celeste…?"

"Erik……………." Came the whisper again. Erik looked around. The place seemed to defy the nature of sound: the whisper seemed to come from everywhere.

Then he saw it, the faint figure off in the gloom. Coming towards him.

"Erik…………………………….."

Erik found himself walking towards the figure, even though part of his brain screamed he shouldn't. Erik ignored it. He didn't know where he was, what he was standing on, what was happening, or anything else. The fact that he didn't know what he was heading towards was just a member of the club, and carried little weight.

"Celeste?"

"Erik…my love…"

Then it was revealed to him.

Erik recoiled in sheer horror as the figure standing before him, of a thin, frail girl in her mid-teens, with skin as pale as a ghost's and with limp, dead hair.

Erik started to shake violently as he looked at the eyes, beaten so much they were nearly squashed, of the bleeding split lips, the shattered teeth, the twisted, broken noise, the face so bruised and battered it looked like the girl was eternally choking. Erik knew that he was looking at how Celeste had once been, at what the monsters of society had done to her as they tried to destroy her.

But the worst was the hole in her chest, leaking blood that poured on the ground. "Celeste" reached up her hands, which were covered with the same blood.

"Why did you let them do this to me, my love? I cared so much for you…and you let them hurt me…they hurt me so bad…"

"No…no no NO! YOU'RE NOT CELESTE!"

"Erik…why did you refuse to love me? Why did you let me think I was a fool for loving you? Why did you let me die…I cared so much and you let me die…I would have given you my heart…"

"No…no…"

"Erik…I still will…"

And then the Celeste being reached towards her chest and plunged her fingers between her breasts, and then she tore out her heart in a spray of gore. Erik recoiled again.

"Take it…please…my love…" "Celeste" said, as blood poured from her mouth.

And then her face twisted into Agony's.

"You know you want to."

Erik turned and ran, ran away from the Celeste thing as it laughed in Agony's voice.

He almost ran into the next figure, and seeing her made him recoil just as hard.

"Jennifer…"

"Oh Erik, you remember me, huh?" said the oriental woman he had called Jennifer. She would have seemed normal, except for the huge bleeding hole in her stomach.

"No…you can't…"

"I thought you were a good guy, Erik. When all my fellows were denoucing you as a monster, I thought I knew better, especially after you avenged my sister's death. I didn't realize how much of a bane you were until you interference in that drug bust. We had it well in hand, but noooooo….that wasn't good enough for you. You had to have your murders. Well, your attack started the shootout that wound up killing seven police officers…including me. Where were you when I was bleeding to death? Oh yes, you had all my fellows chasing after you. Do you know what it's like to die from a shot to the stomach, Erik?"

Then Jennifer's features's twisted, and once again Erik found himself looking at Agony.

"It's lovely."

Erik ran again.

"I knew you would run this way."

Erik slammed on the brakes again as another figure emerged from the darkness around him.

"G-G-G-George…" Erik gasped, looking at the man, with filthy matted hair and torn, dirty clothing. He looked every inch the homeless person he had been when Erik had met him.

The only thing was, his arm was a twisted mutilated wreck, and his head had literally been torn off his shoulders. Blood dripped from the lone stand of muscle that kept his head still attached to his body.

"Remember my gift, Erik? Of being able to see the future? How you used that to kill? You promised me freedom…from the streets and from that curse. I saw my own death, boy. But I didn't want to believe it. But when those punks tossed me under a train, I believed it all too well…I saw how you were a failure and ignored it…"

"No…YOU ARE NOT GEORGE!" Erik screamed. He had had enough of these twisted lies, and he reacted in the only way he knew how to solve a problem: he attacked.

It didn't help, as Erik went right through the apparition he had called George. He fell on his face, his superhuman reflexes seemingly failing him, just as he had failed all these apparitions.

"And to think I've just scratched the surface." Chuckled a familiar female voice. Erik whirled to his feet to find that the mangled body of a man he had known only as George, a man he had dared to call a friend and damned him because of it, had turned into the woman who had damned him. Agony.

"So many memories…so many failures…I think I can go a millenia on just these." Agony laughed.

Erik cracked his knuckles.

"YOU BITCH! DIE!" Erik screamed, leaping at Agony.

Agony, laughing, held up her hand.

Erik stopped dead, floating in front of her.

"You forget where you are, Erik. You're a part of me now. You are at my beck and call. I have total mastery over you." Agony chuckled.

"Bitch…monster…inhuman…why don't you fight me on even terms?" Erik said, trying to use his fury to mask his foolish statement made from utter desperation.

Agony smirked.

"No, that's no fun."

Then she punched him, and Erik gasped in pain as blood (or was it blood?) shot from his mouth. Laughing, she pummeled him, him unable to fight back at all. The sound of her knuckles pounding on his flesh and his cries were all that rang in the silence.

Finally, she tossed him backwards, and Erik tumbled along the ground before he came to a stop. Groaning, he found he could move again.

"I'd love to continue this boy, but I'm afraid that all your stupid friends want my attention now. I have to concentrate on them. Not to worry though. I'll soon have them all beside you…metaphorically speaking. They'll go into my melting pot. But you get to be my personel toy…for all eternity! Isn't that special?"

"No…………..no……" 

"Gotta go now! But I think I'll leave you with all these old friends of yours. I'm sure they have plenty to…discuss with you."

And then they were all coming, appearing out the shadows before Erik even as they dragged themselves out of the shadows of his memory. All his victims. The innocents he couldn't save. The innocents damned by him.

He never knew there were so many.

"Bye bye Erik! See you later!" Agony laughed as she floated up.

"AGONYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Erik screamed, trying to get up, to leap at her, to find something within himself to tear her apart.

And then they were on him, pulling at him, hitting him, clawing at him. But the worst of all was the noise, of a thousand accusations fused into one hateful voice.

"Failed us…"

"Failure…"

"You hurt us…"

"Trusted you…"

"We died because of you…"

"Failed us…failure…failure…"

Erik crumbled to his knees, trying to curl up in a ball, trying to get away from their bloody fingers and their hateful, veangeful tones. They clawed at his back, pulling at his hair, trying to hoist him up and tear him to pieces.

"No…no…I'm sorry…no…forgive me…I'm sorry…NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

And then he was falling again. The sudden sharp jolt was so strong he felt like it nearly broke him in half. His vision swam.

But the hands were gone. So were the voices.

Slowly, Erik raised himself to his feet. He didn't know what was going on, if this was one of Agony's little tricks or not. Therefore, he kept his eyes closed.

But he knew damn well he couldn't keep them closed forever. He had to trust.

Slowly, he opened them.

The shock to his senses was so strong it would have overwhelmed an ordinary man. It almost broke Erik, as he stared as the whispery brightness around him.

It was like a fog…but it was a fog that seemed to emit light. After the total darkness he had been in when Agony had introduced him to his new fate of an eternity of hell inside her, it didn't seem like it was possible that he was in such an opposite room. Indeed, it didn't seem like such a place would exist inside Agony.

It had to be a trick. A setup. Erik's head darted around as he tried to determine what kind of torment would be visited apon him here. Agony had already played with his mind…would she subject his body to unspeakable pain? Tear his soul to shreds? Or maybe she would torment his heart, his emotions…the sheer idea of what she could do to him sent violent shudders through Erik.

Then he heard it.

It was faint at first, and made even more so that Erik couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. It sounded like sobbing.

Erik looked around, trying to pinpoint the sound. Unlike the demonic Celeste that Agony had shown him, this whisper did not seem to come from everywhere. It had a definate direction.

Slowly, Erik began heading towards it. He knew he was acting like a fool, that he was probably walking right into a trap, but he went any way. The sobbing…it was full of such pain…pain and despair. In echoed in Erik. It was a sound he knew all too well. For 20 years, his soul had been screaming the same way the sobbing was.

Erik walked through the silent lit mist.

He saw it. It looked like a lump on the ground at first, but as Erik drew close he found he could make out details.

Torn, dirty blue jeans, quite clearly hand me downs. A dull shirt on which a floral pattern had once bloomed, but the passage of time had withered the painted buds almost to nothingness. Smudged, dirty arms. And a head of short black hair.

Erik walked up to the figure…it was a little girl. She continued to sob.

Nearly all of Erik's mind was screaming that this was a trap.

But he was listening to the remaining part, as he felt the familiar tug of a lifelong duty and vow.

He didn't know what to say…and yet somehow, the words came immediately.

"Why are you crying?"

The little girl, her face in her hands, continued to sob for a bit, but finally she answered in a high feathery voice.

"The bad lady…she's going to hurt those people again…I already saw it…I can't see it again…she always makes me watch…I can't take it…please…mister…you're here now…help me…"

And the girl looked up at him.

Erik recoiled again, not from horror, but from sheer shock as he looked into those strangely tinted red eyes.

He had never seen her before in his life.

And yet, instantly, he knew who she was.

He was looking at Patricia Delhart.

They never saw her coming.

One moment Agony was laughing as her power swirled around her, and the next she was gone.

Then screams exploded from the group as Agony blurred back into existence…on the other side of them, bladed fingers dripping blood. She smirked as various members of the Z Warriors keeled over and down, clutching wounds.

Krillian clenched his teeth as he held onto the terrible wound Agony had gorged across his shin, blood leaking from it in a steady stream. Trunks clutched onto the gash across his back, while his father grabbed a wound that had suddenly appeared on his shoulder.

But the worst was Angie, who toppled over, gurgling as her throat was slashed ear to ear.

"ANGIE!" Ash screamed, as one of his oldest friends went down. He ran to her side as Angie tried to breathe through her torn throat. She was rapidly losing the battle.

"HELP HER! SOMEONE! ANYONE!" Ash screamed.

"YOU BITCH!" Brigh roared, and began whipping a storm of daggers at Agony. The energy laced blades blew through the woman, but she just smiled and began walking forward.

Brigh growled and whipped out a single solitary dagger. Black energy began to crackle on it.

"Ultimate Technique…SHADOW NIGHTMARE INFERNO!" Brigh screamed, and threw the dagger at Agony.

The energy grew around the blade until it was a crackling twenty-foot long arrow of destructive force. It struck Agony and blew her apart violently.

But her pieces quickly formed back together, and Agony laughed at Brigh's horrified face.

"Please."  
Then she zapped forward and punched him, breaking nearly evey rib he had as he flew backwards, crashing into a cliff face. He slumped limply to the ground.

Ash looked up in horror as Christine tried to knit the tissues of Angie's throat back together in time.

"Here." Buu said, coming and touching his forelock to the wound. It healed instantly, but Angie did not wake up.

"Ok guys, OUR TURN!" Yamcha screamed, as he charged up. He zapped at Agony.

Agony laughed and fired a black energy spear at him. Yamcha blurred away and reappeared to Agony's side.

"WOLF WIND!"

The power exploded around Yamcha as he leapt at Agony. Agony turned her head, smirking.

"KIENZEN!"

Agony almost looked shocked as the blade sliced her head right off. As it fell, Yamcha connected with his punch and once again blew Agony's body to pieces.

"SHIN KIKOHO!" Tien yelled from up in the air, and Agony's shattered body parts exploded upward in fiery ki energy. Eighteen, Seventeen, and Krillain also flew up and began barraging the area with ki blasts, forming an ever-growing smoke cloud.

Then tendrils of black power flew out of the cloud, lashing the air around them. Yamcha leapt back to get away from it, but Tien wasn't so lucky. He was swatted from the sky like an annoying insect, and he plummeted with a cry, a terrible burn across his chest and left leg.

Agony flew up, going after the air targets. Seventeen blurred away from her charge, and then Eighteen kicked her in the back, sending her flying forward.

"KAMEHAMEHA!" Krillian yelled, and fired the attack off at Agony. She vanished in an explosion.

Then she flew up from it, the wounds already healing.

"Is that your best? THIS IS BORING!" Agony mocked, and flew at the three. They scattered.

Agony blurred away.

Krillian threw himself in front of Eighteen in case of an attack.

Then she reappeared. Behind the two of them.

"That's the problem with being in love. You always have to be close."

Then Agony reached out and slammed the couple's heads together with a sickening crack. Marron cried out as her parents fell to earth.

"YOU BITCH!" She screamed, and flew up at Agony.

"MARRON, NO!" Goten yelled, and flew after his wife. Agony whirled.

Marron attacked Agony. Agony laughed and began blocking the attacks with ease. Marron cursed and snapped repeated fists at Agony, then comboed with a spin kick. Agony ducked under the kick and snapped her leg out, driving it into Marron's stomach. Marron doubled over with a gasp.

Then Goten flew over her back and smashed his heel across her face, caving it it as she spun away. But even as she did, she laughed and fired off a huge blast. Goten dove, shoving his wife to the ground as the blast barely missed them. It flew off into the distance and exploded.

"HA HA HA HA HA! You think…?"

Seventeen charged Agony from behind.

Agony whirled, snapping her leg up and out, slamming it against Seventeen's head and breaking his neck. Seventeen went crashing back to earth, bouncing to the ground and no moving.

"Now as I was saying…you think this is an offensive? You just don't get it, do you?" Agony laughed. "You can't beat me! I am the God of Death! MWAHHAHAHHAHAHA! SHINIGAMI!" Agony laughed.

**__**

Hey Agony, I've got some guy on my cell by the name of Duo. Something about ripping him off and lawsuits…

"Shut up Soulfire!" Ash snapped, as Agony looked down at the leader of the Legacy. She smirked and flew down in front of him.

"Well, looks like you get to be my next victim!"

Ash's sword blast blew off her right arm.

**__**

AU CONTRAIRE, MON CHERE!

Ash attacked Agony as she was recovering, slashing and kicking at her. He cut open several deep wounds, but they were about as effective as firing bullets at a meteor. Agony smiled again.

**__**

Hey, too bad Erik trashed the lab! If he hadn't, we'd still be surrounded by computers, and then our location would be surrounded by your situation: TERMINAL!

Agony formed one of her arms into a barbed sword blade and engaged Ash in a duel. Ash fought back, but Agony's speed was beyond belief.

The end was inevitable, as Agony whacked the Soulfire from Ash's hands.

**__**

I'm flying! I'm flying!

Agony smirked.

"Scream for me."

Ash tried to dodge away, but he was too slow as Agony slashed him across the arm and then sliced deep wounds across his chest with her knife fingers. Blood splattered, and then Agony kicked Ash backwards into another cliff. He landed, clutching his wounded chest as he tried to get to his feet.

Agony licked Ash's blood off her face, and turned back to the group of warriors who were still standing.

"Who's next?"

As it turned out, it was Piccolo.

Erik couldn't believe it. He had no idea of what Agony was capable of, but seeing this child, this little girl who's matured body Erik knew far too well…he couldn't comprehend it. His mind felt like it was going to skid off the rails and fly off into the darkness of lunacy. Another part of him thought it already had.

"W-W-W…What? How? Why?"

Patricia's look of fear and misery never wavered.

"I've been here ever since she came free…she keeps me trapped in here…she makes me watch. She delights in showing me what she's doing…in my body, in my name…she scares me so much. Please…help me…I know what you mean to her…how you loathe her…help me…please…" Patricia begged.

Erik was silent as he stood, stock still, looking at the frail, pathetic figure in front of him.

"But why…how?"

"I've had to watch since the beginning…she put me here after I finally lost my battle to her. I tried to fight her…I tried to be strong…but she made things happen…her and her master…I couldn't win. And she's kept me here ever since…she's made me watch. Please…I'm so tired…so sad…help me…"

"But you…so peaceful… here…" Erik whispered.

"That's her doing. She does this so I long for it when she takes it away…because she'll be back. She always is…but this time, she'll make me watch her kill all those men and women again…she'll make me watch her destroy worlds…I can't take that…not any more…I have tried to be strong, but I'm not strong enough…help me…please mister Erik…help me…"

"You…you provided the body for her to live…" Erik suddenly whispered. To his amazement, he was starting to get angry. "How can you still be here…?"

"She could never banish me. In our own way, we're linked. But I have no power to fight her. Her control is absolute. Please…I don't want any more people to suffer…I've seen so many die…so many tormented in this…place…heard her terrible laugh…please, HELP ME…"

"Help you…"

Then Erik's claws snapped out as he brought his arm up.

"HELP YOU!?!??! AFTER WHAT YOU LET FREE! AT WHAT YOUR CURSE HAS DONE TO ME?!?!?!?!??!?!" Erik roared. Patricia reared back, her eyes filling with new fear, as Erik advanced on her.

"I can't hurt Agony any more…but perhaps I can still damage her…and I can think of no better way to shake her up then for her to find YOUR CORPSE!"

Piccolo was not dumb. He knew just what Agony was capable of, and he knew that getting around it was nigh on impossible.

But he could certainly try.

And hence he did, as he swung up behind Agony. Agony jerked her head around, smiled and fired.

All she hit was air, as Piccolo flew low and slashed his arm across her legs with such force the limbs nearly exploded. Agony went down with a scream.

"NOW!" Piccolo bellowed as he flew up and away.

"YAHHHHHHHH!" Goten and Trunks yelled together as they dove from the sky, slamming their combined feet against Agony's chest, crushing it inward in a spray of blood as they drove her deeper into the ground. They split up and flew away as Gohan thrust his hands up.

"MASENKO!" Gohan yelled, and fired. Piccolo whirled as energy crackled on his fore and middle fingers.

"MAKKANKOSAPPO!" Piccolo yelled, and fired the spiral beam.

The two attacks blasted Agony at the same time, and the earth shook as a massive explosion blasted into the air. Debris pelted the group.

"That couldn't be it! Stay on your…" Piccolo began to yell.

Then a twisting, wirthing mass of flesh blurred into existence behind him, a seething mass of tissue that extended some of itself as the flesh formed into steel.

"PICCOLO LOOK OUT!" Gohan screamed, as Piccolo sensed it and tried to turn.

He should have flown away.

The blade lashed out, and Piccolo screamed in agony as the sword slashed right through him, cutting him in half. His legs and torso fell in a spray of alien blood as Piccolo landed hard, trying to see past the pain and use his powers to fix the damage.

Agony finished reforming, and Piccolo gasped as she raised her hand and aimed it at him. As weakened as the blow had made him, he would never be able to move in time.

"I still don't like green eggs and ham." Agony chuckled, and fired a giant black blast at Piccolo.

"NOOOOO!" Dende yeled as he threw himself in front of Piccolo. Piccolo's eyes widened.

"DENDE, DON'T!"

Dende took the blast anyway, his frail arms trying to block it. His clothes shredded as the blast threw him through the air and smashed him against the cliff. Piccolo could only scream as the force of the blast carried him upward as well, slamming him into another cliff.

"Dende…" Piccolo whispered, cursing his fellow Namek's sacrifice in the name of fellowship, and then he knew nothing but blackness.

"Ha! Two with one stone!" Agony laughed as she floated down.

"YOU BITCH!" Gohan roared as he flew at Agony. Agony dodged away from his punch and almost lazily dashed backwards to avoid his follow up kick, smirking the whole time. Gohan growled and attacked again. Agony blurred away from his reverse hook kick, flying backwards away from him. Gohan screamed and attacked again.

Then Agony contorted her body backwards, causing Gohan to fly right over her. As he gasped, Agony then snapped her legs up, slamming them into Gohan's abdomen. Gohan cough up a spray of blood as the kick sent him crashing into another cliff face.

"Rookie." Agony muttered as she flipped up to her feet.

The sword was buried in her face and chest, Buffy driving the blade into her so hard she nearly sliced Agony in half. With a grunt of exertion, she tried to yank the sword back for another slice.

The sword wouldn't budge. Buffy yanked at it as Agony's face began to reform. She smirked and clamped her hand over the sword, yanking it out of her and out of Buffy's hands at the same time. Buffy's eeys widened as the sword burst into flames and was reduced to ash.

But she didn't let that stop her, as she punched Agony across the throat, kicked her in the gut, and snap-kicked her across the face before she spun and added a leaping roundhouse. Agony staggered backwards, and Buffy punched at her again.

Agony caught Buffy's, and Buffy let out a small cry as most of her fingers broke. Agony had been toying with her.

Smiling, Agony lifted up her hand.

"Go away little girl. You bother me."

The blast threw Buffy backwards, the burning pain from it multiplying tenfold as she was smashed against a cliff rock face. She slumped and tried to stand again, blood pouring down her face from a large gash across her forehead.

Agony laughed again, and spear of black energy exploded in her hand.

"SHE SHOOTS, SHE GORES!" Agony laughed, and threw the spear at Buffy. Buffy's eyes widened in horror. She would never…

"MOVE!" Spike yelled as he rammed into Buffy from the side, knocking her out of the way. The spear tore off most of his jacket and burned his back as he fell to the ground and rolled away.

Buffy looked at Spike in confusion.

"……SPIKE?"

"Hey look Betty, to her you're just another body. You're my whole damn life. I'll be damned if she gets to kill you! That's my job!" Spike said, and began walking towards Agony. Agony smirked.

"These damn idiots wouldn't have a clue how to kill someone if it bit them on the arse." Spike said, as he pulled the two huge blades he had swiped from Tormentor's corpse off his back, dumping them on the ground. He picked up one, the barbed weapon almost as big as he was. "I, however, do. And now I'm gonna be the one to give you a final and bloody death!"

Energy blasted from Agony's eyes, striking the blade Spike held and melting it away. Spike gaped at his weapon, which was now a charred, ruined hilt.

"But not with that." Spike added hastily, as he picked up the other sword. "Now, I don't have no glitzy battle cry, and every form of threat towards you has been used a thousand times iover, so, well…SOUP!" Spike yelled as he charged at Agony.

Agony, her smirk never failing, raised her arm.

The blade slashed right through it, and Agony's smirk vanished as the blade sliced off her head as well before Spike whirled and sliced Agony's body in half in a rain of blood. The body began to fall as Spike whirled.

"Ha! Who's da man?" Spike crowed.

Then he heard the strange slurping noise and turned as Agony's body flew back together. His jaw dropped as Agony's face reformed. Her smile chilled even him.

"Not you."

Spike growled and stabbed his blade at Agony again.

Agony caught the sword, and as Spike gasped, she cooly twisted the blade around and shoved it right through Spike.

Spike screamed as his own weapon was shoved through him, and then black energy exploded along the blade and sizzled over him. With another scream, he was carried upward and smashed into a rock face with an explosion. He hit the ground hard.

"Well…at least…it was made of metal…" Spike groaned, and passed out.

Agony chuckled.

Then she snapped her leg up as Buffy charged her from behind, her heel coming up and catching Buffy right under the chin. Buffy was thrown airborne, and then Agony spun and smashed her body with a sickening cracking noise as she kicked her back into the rock face. Buffy hit the ground, and this time she didn't get up.

"Can't fault you for effort, girl…but Slayer? I think not." Agony chuckled.

"SATAN MIRACLE…!!"

Agony thrust up her hand and caught Mr. Satan's fist as it swung at her. She twisted her head and smirked once more at the now terrified old man.

"I've met Lucifer, my friend." Agony said, as she lifted her other hand as her fingers transformed into cruelly barbed blades. "You shame his namesake."

Mr. Satan screamed as Agony slashed out her fingers, ripping four terrible gashes across his face. Laughing, she kept slashing, tearing blood-spurting channels across his arms, chest, and legs.

"STOP IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Buu screamed as he rammed into Agony, sending her flying away from his friend. As Satan collasped, his blood soaking the ground.

As Agony flew, Buu dove to the ground, and in a sight that was almost comical, did a forward flip as he thrust himself into the air. With a scream, he began firing hundreds of ki blasts down onto where Agony was.

Then, with a smirk, Agony blurred in front of him. Buu's head snapped up. His teeth clenching and steam coming out of his ears, he brought his hands up to his side.

Agony smirked and mimiced the motion.

"TAKE THIS!" Buu yelled as he fired a huge ki blast at Agony.

Agony thrust out her hands and met the blast with one of the exact same kind. Suddenly finding himself in a standoff, Buu growled and tried to hold his ground.

Agony chuckled, and thrust her hands forward.

Buu's blast was smashed by hers, and Buu screamed as he was carried backwards by burning energy. He hit the ground a bleeding heap and passed out.

Agony smiled at his limp body as she floated down to the ground.

"Can't anyone be a challenge?"

"Remember me?"

Agony's eyes arched at the female voice, and she turned to see Pan, older and with shining golden hair, as she held her hands up above her as golden power shone on them as well.

"MASENKO!"

Erik almost had his hands on the child in front of him, his murderous urges overriding his senses and common sense, his only thought of revenge.

Then it slammed into his mind, like a bolt of lightning.

__

WHAT ARE YOU DOING!

Erik stopped. He knew the voice, but he didn't want to listen.

__

That girl is the cause of all my problems, all my grief! It's all her fault!

And you think she wanted this? To have her body used for all those atrocities? To have to watch it all? Do you think that if you can hurt her, you can somehow change the past, make all that has happened go away?

"No…" Erik whispered. His rage, his anger, his desire for revenge, was burning in him, feeling like acid in his veins. He had to release it. But this little voice…it was standing in his way, backing down from nothing. And Erik knew why.

The voice was him, just like the rage was. He had always thought of himself of two people, two sides warring for dominace.

__

Such as all people. Every person is essentially two, each tied to a side they can't change or escape. But only the inidividual can decide which side will truly be him. You have always desired one side…why are you embracing the other?

No…I can't let her live…I can't!

So, this is the real you? The one who needs a scapegoat for his problems and grief? I think you know that is not true…why are you continuing that lie?

"Mister…Erik, I tried to be strong…I'm sorry…please don't hurt me…" Patricia begged as Erik stood in front of her, holding his head in his hands.

__

It's her fault…her…fault…

Look at her. Does she look like a monster? Does Agony's evil shine in her eyes? No. Just fear. The same fear you wore when you were her age and Agony brutalized you.

I can't let her…live…not after…

Then Agony was right. You are a murderer, just like her. You stalk the ones who spill blood, and she stalks anything that strikes her fancy. Congradulations Erik. All you have ever fought for, was a lie. Yo're just like the woman you hate. You have become her.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!" Erik screamed, rearing his head back to the whiteness that was all around him and Patricia. Then he lowered his head, gasping, looking at Patricia.

Patricia waited.

Erik fell to his knees, and took Patricia into his arms. Patricia clutched to him as he tried to comfort her. She began to cry again.

"I'm sorry…it's not your fault…I was a fool to ever think it and I'll never do it again… Patricia…I'm sorry…" Erik whispered. He'd made his choice. All his life, he had thought Patricia Delhart was Agony. He had been wrong. Agony had murdered her and imprisoned her just like all her other victims. And perhaps more then any of them, Patricia had suffered, being forced to watch as Agony used her body to commit all the crimes she had.

"Please…I'm so scared…" Patricia wept.

"I'm here…I'll protect you…" Erik whispered. He had to. Despite all that had happened, Erik could tell no evil lurked in the child he held in his arms. The evil was Agony, a creation of darkest evil that had surpassed her creator in her acts of destruction. She was the one who had to be destroyed.

And then, suddenly, Erik found there was nothing in his arms. Patricia had vanished. He looked in confusion at where she had been.

Then the voice spoke.

"I always knew you would know the right way. No matter what, you never lost that strength."

The voice sent shockwaves through every part of Erik's being. Of all the things he had seen, of all he had learned, he still couldn't believe he was hearing the voice he was. Slowly, he stood up, looking at the faint figure that was walking out the misty light.

Even when he saw him, Erik couldn't believe it. All he could do was make a low sound that sounded like a cross between a whisper and a squeek.

"………………..Father?"

The Masenko pierced through Agony as she screamed, toppling over in an another spray of blood. Pan watched with an intense look of hatred, behind which lurked desperate hope. This had worked once before. And Fate could not be cruel enough to…

Laughing, Agony flipped back up to her feet, the hole closing and healing. Pan felt her heart fill with ice.

"Age. With it comes wisdom, the experience of new things, a whole new life…but also the loss of total innocence, and the inability to strike a blow without feeling some kind of rage. Rage leads to violence. And violence is my blood." Agony said.

"And yes, I do remember you, little girl, and if I remember correctly…I OWE YOU."

Pan was sent flying backwards as Agony snapped her leg up, kicking the young girl backwards. Pan reeled from the blow as she flipped over and tried to recover.

Then Agony slammed into her from behind. Pan screamed as Agony smashed her foot into her back and lanced twin blades through her, piercing through both her shoulders. Pan crumbled to the ground, blood leaking from the twin wounds as Agony laughed and turned her arm into a sword to bring it down on Pan's head.

Gohan smashed into Agony, blazing with fury as he pummeled her and smashed her into the ground. A dozen Z Warriors and Legacy members immediately pounced on her and began hitting anything they could with fists, feet, weapons, and energy attacks.

Goku watched in horror as the group of warriors attacked Agony _on masse_.

"No…don't…you're playing right into her hands…"

Goku's warning helped no one, as no one could hear him. But his ability to predict the situation proved deadly accurate, as The Z Warriors and Legacy were suddenly all thrown backwards as Agony laughed, her wounds healing up. She swirled her head around, picked a target, and flew up after it.

Goku grit his teeth as he saw this, and his resolve steeled as he made his decision. It may mean his death…it may lead to nothing…it may cause both…but he could no longer sit here, as weak and wasted as his body was.

Slowly, Goku raised his hands, and prayed to all the gods he knew for one last gift.

Agony's chosen target was Bra, who shook her head and then looked at Agony with wide eyes as she floated down in front of him.

"You know little girl, you are making me kill you and your friends in the wrong order. Come here so I can correct it!" Agony laughed as she reached for Bra.

Bra's hair blazed up as she went SSJ again and blasted Agony's arm aside before she smashed in her face with about twenty-five punches. Flying backwards, she let loose with a storm of golden ki bolts, blowing Agony up in an ever widening smoke cloud.

Laughing, Agony flew from the smoke, half her face a melted charred skull. Bra recoiled from the horrible sight as Agony thrust her hands out at her. Ducking under her blow, Bra thrust her hands against Agony's stomach and let loose with a point-blank ki ball shot. The explosion blew Agony to pieces, but it also blasted Bra into the ground. She bounced off and almost landed on her feet before she crumbled to one knee, breathing hard.

"Bra!" Trunks yelled.

"I'm fine! Get her!"

"You heard your sister, mister, let's do it!" Goten yelled as he flew to Trunks's side. The two assumed the Fusion Dance position.

"FFUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-SION! HA!" They yelled as they did the dance.

Agony finished fixing her body as the light exploded across the wrecked battlefield. She blinked.

"THE MAN IS BACK!" SSJ4 Gotenks crowed. "Now, I owe you, bitch! You ain't spearing me on no spear this time! This time, I'm gonna kick your demonic ass so hard you'll be able to floss with my boot laces!" Gotenks yelled. A golden aura exploded around him, and he blasted at Agony.

Agony held up her hand.

Gotenks suddenly stopped in front of Agony with a gasp of surprise.

"I always found you annoying." Agony said, and snapped her arms each way.

Gotenks shrieked and then in a sudden burst of light Goten and Trunks were back. Somehow, Agony had seized them and torn them apart. The shock of it was no more obvious to Goten and Trunks, who were still locked in place by Agony's terrible power.

Agony smiled and pointed at Goten.

"You, there." Agony said, pointing at the ground. Goten suddenly found himself in a direct course towards the earth. He screamed in protest and fury and then hit with a crashing boom and a cloud of dust.

"And as for you, pretty boy…" Agony said, running her hands almost delicately over Trunks's neck. Trunks shuddered.

"I believe this is mine." Agony laughed, and brought back her bladed fingers to slice Trunks's head off again.

Vegeta smashed into Agony, pummeling her, driving her away from his son.

"NOT THIS TIME!!!! **NOT THIS TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"** Vegeta bellowed as he smashed Agony with fists and feet of utter fury before he spun and smashed Agony into the ground. Agony bounced off the ground with a spray of broken rock and did backflips as she landed on top of a rock outcropping as Vegeta flew down to another one. He lined up Agony as he landed.

"FINAL FLASH!" he screamed, and fired the golden bolt of power at Agony.

Agony whacked it aside with her arm, and it exploded off in the distance.

"That your best?"

"I'm JUST GETTING WARMED UP!" Vegeta roared, as a golden aura exploded around him, shattering parts of the cliff face. Agony smirked.

"Oh, scary."

Then Agony thrust out her arms and screamed as blasts of black power began exploding off her body, before a black aura blasted outward from her, shattering the cliff under her. Two waves of dark force washed over the area before the ball of power around Agony exploded outward and then flowed back into Agony's body as black lightning and power crackled and swirled around her body.

"Scarier." Agony smirked.

Vegeta didn't reply, instead flying off his ruined cliff at Agony.

Agony blurred away, and Vegeta did likewise. The air rang with cracking blows as the Super Saiya-jin Level 4 and the Herald of Destruction fought.

Vegeta punched at Agony, and growled as she dodged. He tried kicking her and got the same result as she blurred away. Vegeta blurred away and appeared behind Agony. Agony did likewise. Vegeta did it again. Agony also did so, and the two gradually flew higher and higher into the sky.

Then a crashing bang exploded across the air as Vegeta flew from the upper sky. He managed to put on the brakes as Agony flew down and lanced at Vegeta. Vegeta snarled and flew at Agony, cocking back his fist and slamming it right between Agony's eyes.

Agony shrugged off the blow, and as Vegeta gasped Agony smashed him, knocking him downward. Laughing, Agony flew down as she brought her hand up, and as Vegeta hit the ground she thrust it down, slamming her palm down on Vegeta's face. She shoved down, trying to crush Vegeta's skull between her hand and the cliff.

The cliff gave way first as Agony shoved Vegeta into the rock, a huge piece of stone creaking off the main formation and falling to the ground as it came apart from Agony's attempt to crush Vegeta's head.

Vegeta kicked Agony away and flew at her, smashing his foot against the side of her head. Agony tooke the blow, and then her hair extended, wrapping around Vegeta's leg. Vegeta gasped and tried to get away, but more strands came whipping out of nowhere, wrapping around Vegeta's other leg and both his wrists. With a laugh of pure mirth, Agony lifted Vegeta up and slammed him down across her knee, nearly breaking him in half. Vegeta threw up blood with a pained gasp.

"So, your back is still intact. Strong bones you got there…but that makes it more fun for me to break!" Agony said, and lifted Vegeta again.

Her arms flew off as Rod and William slashed them off in a twin display of gleaming blades. The next second a triad blast blew Agony apart. As she reformed, a battered and bleeding Ash twirled the Soulfire with one hand as his wife and teammates assembled around him.

"No more playing around. UNLEASH HELL!" Ash yelled.

**__**

Yes, Lord Maximus!

"SHUT UP SOULFIRE!" Ash yelled as he leapt and attack Agony, slicing and carving at her body. Several of his teammates aided him, as the other fired blasts from a distance.

Agony laughed and thrust up her arms, and Ash was thrown backwards with his teammates. He spun and landed on his feet.

"Anyone have any advice?" he muttered.

**__**

Um, there is no spoon?

"Real clever Soulfire." Ash said, clenching his teeth. "Any one have any ideas?"

"Yeah, KILL HER!" Christine screamed, furious over what Agony had done to her brother and family.

**__**

Can't argue with that, Ash. It's as impossible to answer as "Do these pants make me look fat?"

Despite himself, Ash smirked and charged.

Agony flew up, away from the blades. Ash looked up as Agony raised one finger and aved it at them mockingly.

"They say old legends never die…HOW ABOUT YOUNG LEGACIES!??!?!" Agony laughed, and suddenly clamped her fist shut.

Explosions blasted up from the ground, consuming and blowing away the members of Legacy with various cries and screams of pain. Agony laughed as the members were tossed around like rag dolls, and then laughed even harder when the smoke cleared and the broken bodies were revealed, strewn across the ground. In seconds, Agony had turned the Legacy's battleground into a graveyard.

Her laughter faded as Christine was revealed to still be on her feet. Ash was also, and he was standing by Christine's side, although Christine appeared to be helping him.

"She just won't die…" Ash cursed.

**__**

You know Ash…this looks bad…so I just want to say…you and Christine are too loud!

"Shut up Soulfire." Ash muttered, and looked at Christine. She smiled slightly.

"I love you." Ash said, and kissed his wife. It was brief, but incredibly poignant.

"Oh that's so sweet I'm getting cavities! PREPARE TO SEE YOUR BROTHER!" Agony laughed, and thrust her hand out.

And Ash and Christine snapped their weapons up. They had one last trick, but it was big one.

"ULTIMATE CROSSFIRE TECHNIQUE! MIRACULOUS CATACLYSM!" Ash and Christine screamed as they held hands.

A white bolt of power blasted from their weapons, zapping at Agony. She opened her eyes as she felt the aura around the couple and the blast. The love of soulmates.

"NOOOOOOO!!!!!!" Agony yelled as the blast pierced through her and then blew her to pieces in a huge white light. The couple nearly crumbled from the force of their own blast.

"Please…please…"Christine whispered.

And then the pieces began floating back up. Christine let out a cry as they reformed into Agony.

"No…that blast is born from our love…you can't stand love…you should be…"

"Dead?" Agony said. "Oh, I might have been…if your love for each other wasn't tainted by the hate you hold for me, little girl."

Christine gasped again. Agony smirked.

"The fallacy of the human heart. It can never be full of one emotion. There must always be some of the others. Too bad. But since your heart is such a problem…I'LL JUST TAKE THEM!" Agony laughed, and flew at the couple.

Ash shielded his wife.

"MASENKO!"

"FINISH BUSTER!"

"BIG BANG ATTACK!"

"RENZOKOKEN SHINE SHINE MISSILE!"

"ARGGGH!" Agony screamed as she was hit with all the attacks at once. The gigantic explosion threw Ash and Christine backwards, and they crashed and lay on the ground, trying to get up as the smoke cloud blasted out from the combined attacks.

As Agony began reforming, Goten flew up as he looked at all the remaining Z Warriors, strong and weak alike.

"This is our last chance…OK!" Goten yelled, as he powered up. "TRUNKS AND BRA, HIT HER HIGH! PAN AND UBUU, HIT HER LOW! GOHAN AND VEGETA, HIT HER **HARD!** WE'LL FINISH THIS NOW OR WE'LL NEVER FINISH IT!"

"Wait! Look!"

Gohan turned his head at Krillian's yell and his pointing hand, and he gasped.

Then blue light washed over them as Goku floated up, holding the huge Genki Dama above his head. His skeletol figure seemed about to rip apart from the strain, but somehow he held together.

"Father!" Goten and Gohan said.

"Grandpa!" Pan said.

"Kakarott…" Vegeta said, as he watched Goku levitate up higher. None of them had noticed the power Goku was forming, too caught up in the battle with Agony.

Goku spoke in a voice that was barely above a whisper, and yet, somehow, all heard him.

"My friends…I have gathered all I can…you must provide the rest…in your heart…in your soul…you must…please…hurry…"

Goten glanced back at Agony as she completed her reforming. Then he looked back at the group.

They all nodded.

As Agony shook her head, the group blurred away and reappeared behind Goku in a scattered group. Videl and Marron flew up beside their husbands.

"Everyone! Focus all your power, all your strength…all your love, your caring, your light within you into this! This is it! For us! For Erik! And for Humanity!" Goten said, as he brought his hands out and brought them to his side.

"KAAAAAAAAAAAA……" Goten yelled.

"MEEEEEEEEEEEEEE……." Gohan and Pan joined as they charged as well.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAA……." Ubuu, Krillian, and Eighteen added their voices to the war cry as they charged up as well.

"MEEEEEEEEEEEEEE….…" Yamcha, Tien, and Chaozu said as they all did their charge up. No matter what, they were going to help.

Agony looked at the gigantic Genki Dama with some alarm, as memories came back to her.

"Oh no…"

****

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" screamed the group as they all thrust their hands forward, firing the attack.

And as they did so, Vegeta, Trunks, and Bra flew up behind them, all of them bringing their hands together, as their aura combined into one glowing bright light.

"NEO…" Vegeta yelled.

"FI…" Trunks yelled.

"NAL…" Bra added.

****

"FLASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The golden power exploded from the family and flew out beside the group Kamehameha, the two massive blasts combining into one collassal omni-blast that gave off brilliant beams of blue and gold light.

The blast flew into the Genki Dama, and the ball became its point as the attack blasted at Agony. Agony's eyes widened.

"NO!" she screamed as she thrust her hands up.

The Omni-Blast struck her, the attack being at least fifty times her size. Agony's hands began to sizzle as she tried to hold the ball back and away from her. It was like a gnat trying to hold back a St. Benard.

The whole group held the blast and shoved it at Agony, all of them praying for the nightmare to end.

Then Agony laughed.

"NOT THIS TIME, YOU FOOLS!"

Then the blast flew up into the sky as Agony threw it above her. Everyone cried out in horror as Agony deflected the blast.

"Time for you to understand the same thing Erik never could. YOU CAN'T WIN!" Agony laughed.

And then she zapped into the Z Warriors so quickly even Vegeta had no idea what hit him. Everyone was suddenly transformed into a punching bag as Agony zapped around the whole group so quickly it was like she was pummeling each one of them at the same time. Everyone's bodies jerked, danced, and bled from the cracking blows being inflicted on all of them as Agony beat the shit out of all of them at once.

Goku fell, utterly spent, not even able to draw the strength to weep as Agony took all his friends and family apart.

Then Agony blurred away.

Everyone seemed suspended in mid-air.

Agony reappeared above the blast they had fired as her as it prepared to break through the dark storm clouds that had been above the battlefield. Laughing, she held out her hand.

The blast stopped, and then black lightning exploded from the clouds and coursed around and through the attack blast. Slowly, the golden-blue blast turned as dark as the clouds. Laughing, Agony raised her hand above her head and the blast flowed up above her in a mammoth ball of power that seemed to fill the whole sky.

"Love…goodness…light…they are NOTHING BEFORE ME!!!!!!!!!"

And Agony whipped her arm down and hurled the ball down, back at the remaining Z Warriors.

The only one who had time to scream was Pan.

The explosion was beyond the ability for human senses to read. It nearly cracked the planet in half, and around the earth everything was thrown into a frenzy by the sheer power. Cities collasped as earthquakes erupted, volcanos spewed forth the molten blood of the planet as if the earth had been wounded, the seas boiled and thrashed, and all around the world, everyone trembled, even if they had no idea why.

And then it was above, leaving only smoke and a rain of debris that never seemed to end.

Slowly, the smoke cleared.

Agony floated in the air, looking down at her work, the broken Z Warriors scattered all over the ground, the shattered Legacy members amongst them. No one was left standing.

They were beaten.

Agony sighed and smiled. They had tried everything, even the light within the heart of humanity. But this time, it had been unable to defeat her darkness. The art of fighting was her…love ultimately had no place in it no matter how hard it tried to make one.

There was no way anyone who oppossed her could truly hurt her. Vagane, or Fate, or whatever had seen to that.

And now she would thank it…by destroying it.

Laughing, Agony floated down. She had held back for one lone reason, and now she was going to reap the rapture of it and her victory.

Erik didn't even want to blink. He didn't want to take the chance the in the split-second he did, his father would disappear.

"………how?"

His father smiled slightly.

"Look at you Erik. You've grown so big…such a fine young man."

"You have your father's face, for certain."

The shock rang through Erik again, and his eyes moved from his father to the young woman who had come to his side…a woman that looked like an older Christine.

"Mother…Dad…"

"Hey, don't forget us!"

Erik's shock increased tenfold. Two more figures came out of the light…two little girls…his sisters…

This couldn't be happening. It was a trick of Agony's. She was setting him up for something terrible. She had opened him up with that Patricia apparition and now she was using spectres of his family to…

But it couldn't…he knew. He could sense it. There was no evil in the figures before him…only a feeling buried so deep it almost seemed alien.

It was his family.

"Ha! You look so funny with long hair, big bro!" Marianna laughed. Erik couldn't believe it. They'd been trapped in Agony's hell for twenty years…and his sister could still laugh.

Trapped…

"I'm sorry…………" Erik whispered.

And then he broke, falling to his knees as he began to weep uncontrollably. His family was somewhat alarmed at this outburst, but after all he had seen, he couldn't hold it in any more, as the grief and guilt of decades came to a peak within him and then crashed down on his shoulders with a weight no man could withstand.

"Erik……" Charlene Ravensky said, as she watched her son cry. She did what any mother would as she went him to and held him like she had when he was a baby.

"I'M SORRY!!!!!!!!" Erik wailed. "It's all my fault! I was weak! I couldn't stop them! You're in here because of me…all you suffered was because of me and oh god I'm so sorry…….it's all my fault…"

"It's not."

"It is! All the torture…the suffering…I couldn't stop her…please forgive me…please…"

"Erik…we have never been tortured."

That was enough to make Erik stop, as he looked up at his mother, who looked at him soothingly.

"What…how…?"

"After we died…we were in limbo for a while. Agony still had no idea that she stole souls. But when she realized it...first she imprisoned Patricia in here…and then she turned her insides into hell. But…we weren't there. We were here. Patricia brought us here."

Erik blinked in surprise, and then Patricia reappeared, walking beside his father. She still looked sad and scared, but at the same time, she almost had a look of courtesy.

"You…"

"I have so little strength…but Agony is so insane she doesn't bother to see what it can do. I knew, somehow, that your family was special…and so I brought them here. They've always been in here with me…hiding away from Agony when she comes to torment me. They wanted to help me…but I told them not to. Agony's madness kept her from checking to see if your family was ever with all the souls she's tormenting…I wouldn't let them reveal themselves. That I could give souls…peace…as close as one can have it in this darkness…kept me going as long as I have…that, and my lone hope. You are it, Erik."

Erik stared at Patricia. If she was speaking the truth…

"You were never tortured…never made to suffer?"

"We have suffered, Erik, from fear and many other things…but we have held on…waiting…preparing. Now our time has come…" David Ravensky said.

"But…" Erik said, standing up. "I lost. Agony killed me too…I failed you. I still couldn't free you…avenge you…I'm a failure…"

"Erik, stop talking like that, right NOW!"

Erik's eyes widened as his mother yelled at him.

"Why do you think you must always suffer? Was it because you thought we were suffering? That it would earn our forgiveness? Erik…my son…you have nothing to see forgiveness for. No matter what…even if Agony had discovered us…we would have never hated you. We can't. We all love you. We always have."

"Mother…" Erik whispered.

"Son…you aren't a failure. Look at what you have done. You have used your life to save hundreds, thousands of others. You have sacrificed everything to help the weak and downtrodden. You may have killed. You may have done terrible things. But you were just trying to help…when anyone fell, you tried to offer them a hand to get up. You're a hero, Erik. And I'm very proud of you for choosing the path you did." David said.

"Plus, you got to beat up bad guys! Just like Bruce Lee!" Marianna said.

"I would say…dad and Booger's words put it quite well. We've always loved you, brother." Tamara said, lifting her veil of silence

Erik looked at all of them, trying to believe them. He knew they were right. His whole life…he had been holding himself down. He felt he had to, as a penance. But what they told him…that penance had been paid a thousand-fold. 

They had always loved him.

"Thank you…thank you…" Erik said, and held his mother close. His father came closer and he held them too, as well as his sisters. He never wanted to let go.

"But…I still failed to kill Agony. At least…I can join you…I couldn't protect you then, but I will do my damnest to protect you now…"

"No son."

Erik looked at his mother. His mother looked back at him, smiling. She couldn't believe how big he had gotten.

"What?"

"This is not your destiny…not your fate."

"But…I lost."

"Perhaps you did. But that was not your fault. When Agony came into our lives, she infected you with her darkness. You have come to believe that it is your only source of power, that you are to always be one with it, and it alone. Your body…as the Angel of Death…that is the ultimate peak of the darkness that you wield, but also the darkness that blights your heart and soul. But it is not the true you, Erik. It is only a part of you…and one that could not defeat Agony. For no matter how great the darkness you wield…hers will always be deeper. But to possess such a great darkness within you…it must be matched to keep a balance…it must be matched with an equally great light!"

Erik's eyes widened as his mother took his hands…and they began to glo, with the same soft white light that infused the air around them.

"What…what…?"

"We have waited a long time, Erik. We have studied, watched, learned…and we have gathered all the power we can. We give it to you Erik…it is our love for you…your forgiveness that you craved so badly…it is the light within you. Take it."

Erik stepped back, looking at the glowing light on his hands.

"But…"

"Please…Erik…you must free us…all the souls Agony had taken…" Patricia said, stepping forward. "I have done my own preperations…but I can only do this once. You are my last hope. Please…stop her."

And Erik found himself levitating up, even as the glow on his hands increased, forming into a sparkling shape as big as his leg. But he was more preoccupied with the fact he was being taken away from his family.

"No…wait! I don't…"

"You don't belong here, son. Go. Claim your ultimate destiny…and know we will always love you. And no matter what, we will always be with you. Always." David said.

Marianne and Tamara waved.

"Go get her, big bro! I wanna see something else then all this mist!"

"Goodbye brother…tell Christine I love her too."

"Go son." Charlene said, as his family vanished from sight. Erik was filled with feelings beyond description. Light filled his vision, and as it did, he heard the last words of his mother.

"You are human, my son. Humans can be knocked down,. But you have spent your life offering your hand to those who have fallen. Now we, and all those who care for you, will offer their hand to you. Agony…is not human. She does not deserve to be human. She thinks she can never be knocked down…show her that when she is, there will be no hands there to keep her from falling into her final oblivion."

Agony laughed as she landed on the ground, looking at the bodies strewn around her. Some movement caught her eye. Some were actually trying to get up. Their endurance would have impressed anyone, except Agony.

"Fools." She muttered, and then smiled, her eyes shining.

"All my life…I've been taking the souls of those unworthy to live…which is pretty much everything, come to think of it." Agony chuckled.

Bleeding from his nose, a gash in his forehead, and a lip so badly busted it was little more then shredded flesh, Vegeta tried to get to his knees as Agony rambled. But he couldn't. He felt like every bone in his body was broken. He had no strength at all.

"Bitch…one day…someone will get you…one day…" Vegeta whispered, blood dripping from his face.

"But as I found out…stealing souls…can get tiresome…so you get the new and improved treatment!" Agony crowed, and lifted up her hands.

And then black tendrils of flesh flew from her palms, snaking out and across the battlefield.

And then they plunged into the scattered warriors, ripping right through the flesh like a hot knife through butter.

The battlefield was suddenly awash with screams as Agony violated them. The screams were joined by Agony's laugh.

"You like Erik so much? Well, you can all die the same way he did…be absorbed into me for eternal hell, in body, mind, heart, and SOUL!" Agony laughed as she began breaking every down.

The pain was beyond comprehension, as Agony began taking apart the flesh of all her opponents at a molecular level. But there was no way they could resist. All they could do was scream in terrible torture and woe that they had failed to beat her.

And all above it, Agony's laugh.

"That's it…SCREAM FOR ME! OH YES! OH YES!" Agony laughed.

Then her eyes widened.

"What the…?"

Then light exploded from Agony's body as she shrieked in surprise.

And then something slashed out and severed all the tendrils of flesh. The pain faded as the bodies of the Z Warriors, Legacy, Buffy, and Spike were no longer burning with fire as the tendrils spasmed and burned to ash.

Agony recoiled as her tendrils were cut and her breaking down process was stopped cold. She growled.

"What the fuck is going on!?!??!" she cursed.

Then the light faded.

Agony's eyes widened, and so did everyone's as Erik slowly floated down in front of her. He landed slowly and opened his eyes.

"Erik…" Christine whispered, unable to believe it. But in her heart, she had always known that Erik would no be able to be defeated that easily.

"Erik." Agony said in a half growl. She couldn't believe it either. No soul had ever been able to escape her! How the hell had he managed to, along with getting his body back in the process?

"Agony." Erik replied. Agony growled at his calm tone.

Then she saw it. The glowing white light floating about seven feet above him.

"What the hell…?"

"I never thought that there could be light in you, Agony…but there is. But you destroyed it. Just as you destroyed everything that crossed your path. Well Agony, you failed to destroy me. I'm not broken. I will never break."

Agony growled again, greatly annoyed. She had lost Erik. She had lost the powers of destruction he had given her via his death and absorption…

Then she smirked. She could use this.

"Well Erik…I am impressed, and that is a rare thing. So you get to be the first again…you can be the first one to ever die at my hands, TWICE!" Agony laughed.

Erik cocked his head slightly, and the glowing light floated down to his hands.

"Not this time."

And then there was a brief flash, and Erik's hands were holding a sword.

It was perfectly formed, a work of art. Four feet long, it fit perfectly into Erik's cyborg hand. The hilt seemed to be carved from pure ivory, and the blade was composed of an even brighter, more radient white colour. White jewels and extensions ran down the hilt as Erik brought the blade up.

"I always thought they would hate me. That they would blame me. But now I know…they never did. This was their last gift to me…this is my true redemption, Agony. This is the Redemption blade…this is my light."

Agony smirked.

"Oh, your light. How very impressive…NOT!" Agony laughed. "Well Erik, since you wanted to come back so bad you actually managed to escape…I have a gift for you!"

And Agony raised her arms.

Purple-red energy suddenly exploded around all the Z Warriors and Legacy members. They all cried out as Erik jerked his head around. He hadn't been expecting this.

There was a series of purple flashes, and then suddenly all the people were encased in crystal. But yet…somehow they could still move. Erik watched in horror as Agony floated the crystals up and around her.

"Stop that! This is between you and me, it always has been! Leave them out of it!" Erik yelled.

Agony smirked.

"No way. That'd be no fun at all. You want to stand before me…you claim you won't break? Well if you won't break…take a look."

The Z Warriors floated in front of Agony. Erik stared at them, looking in despair, not knowing what to do.

"The warriors of this world. Perhaps the strongest beings anywhere. People who dared to befriend you…and now, they are gone!"

And Agony clenched her fist.

The crystal containing Tien suddenly shattered, and Erik cried out as Tien's mouth opened in a silent scream as he was shattered into pieces with it. Chaozu cried out in grief, and then he shattered. A terrible chain reaction as the Z Warriors realized what was going on and doubled their efforts to get free.

There was no escape.

"STOP! NO!" Erik shrieked as Agony broke all the Z Warriors one by one. Agony just laughed and moved Trunks and Bra in front of Vegeta so he could see them shatter. Vegeta only gone a second to scream before he was shattered as well.

Purple crystal rained down, along with shards of material that was not crystal. Erik stared in utter horror as Agony was left with Goku, Gohan, and Goten.

"Stop…I'm begging you…" Erik pleaded. Agony smirked.

"These were perhaps your best friends…NOW THEY'RE DEAD!"

The crystals shattered with a final silent scream from the Son family. Erik was rooted to the ground.

Agony smirked. The stupid boy. Rooted in his emotions, she had managed to push him to the brink easily. Now she would break him, and leave him to be easy pickings.

"A young woman named Buffy Summers…" Agony said, as she floated Buffy's crystal prison in front of her. "This was not her fight…not her world…and not her problem. But she had a brave enough heart to come into the unknown and fight with you…and now…she is gone…"

Buffy didn't scream, but the look of horror on her face as Agony shattered her into pieces was worst then any noise she could have made.

"Please…stop…" Erik begged.

"Spike…eh, no one cares about Spike." Agony said, and threw the crystal aside. Spike's mouth formed the words "BLOODY HELL!" before he was dashed to pieces on a rock.

"And finally…the Legacy. Your allies and teammates. They always distrusted you, you know, Erik. They thought you would lead them to ruin. Even as they grew to tolerate you, befriend you…even love you…they always had that doubt. It has been proven right."

Erik stared, his feet rooted to the spot, as he looked at all his teammates staring at him from the crystal. Pleading with him to do something, anything.

But Erik didn't know what to do. If he moved, Agony would just shatter the crystals. With the powers Agony had absorbed, there was no way he could match her speed now, not without the dark side of his Redemption powers, and they were futile against her any way.

He was helpless again, just like he had been all those years ago. He could do nothing against Agony.

"For now…"

"NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"They are gone." Agony said, smiling.

All the Legacy shattered at once. Erik would have cried out, but his voice was too frozen with grief to do it.

There was one crystal left. It was Christine's. Agony smirked and floated it right in front of Erik, so close he could read Christine's lips.

"Your little sister. The lone one I missed."

"Erik…help me…please…"

Erik reached out, trying to get to the crystal, shatter it, save his sister. He wouldn't let…

Agony laughed and clenched her fist.

Christine shattered with one final cry, and Erik, with a lone cry of horror, was left holding a shard of material that had once been her hair.

"And now…she is gone. They all are. You see the fate of anyone who you touch, Erik? You won't break? They did instead."

Erik dropped the shard of cryustal as a lone tear trickled down from his organic eye. He lowered his head.

Agony smiled. He may have not been encased in crystal, but he was as shattered as they could ever be. And with all the interfering people finally out of the way, she could truly amuse herself with him.

But first…the souls. Agony smiled and began drawing them into her.

Erik stared at his hands. He'd failed all over again. He'd been too weak to keep Agony from murdering his loved ones. No matter what…he would always be…a…

Then his blade began to glow again.

Erik's eyes were drawn to it, as it shone, brilliant beautiful light.

Agony paused in her absorption.

Erik stared at his sword as it glowed.

"No." he hissed.

Slowly, he raised his head up.

"Not again. Not now. NOT EVER!" Erik bellowed, as he raised the sword up and charged at Agony.

Agony's face showed some distaste. Didn't this boy ever learn that he had lost.

"Idiot! You think you can stand before me? All these people did, and I broke them into pieces! And I can do the same to you! BREAK INTO PIECES, ERIK!" Agony screamed, and held her hand out.

Explosions began rocking the ground as Agony blasted the fires of hell themselves upward, burning hands trying to clutch Erik and destroy him.

Erik never slowed, the ground exploding and burning all around him as he bore down on Agony, raising the sword above his head.

Agony's eyes widened as he leapt.

****

"GIVE THEM BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

A blast of light blazed from the slash and the noise blew across the whole field. Erik hit the ground and rolled, flipping to his feet.

The glow never left his sword, and the same glow enfused his eyes. He knew what he had to do.

Slowly, he lifted his sword up, pointing it towards the sky.

Tendrils of light, msity energy began flowing from the sword, spiralling out along the field, flowing through the scattered crystal shards. The same tendrils flew from the ground around Erik and joined it's brothers, lifting up the shards, bringing them together.

The flash of light would have put heaven to shame as it consumed the whole battlefield.

The Z Warriors and Legacy sat up in confusion.

"What…I'm alive?" Ash said.

"But I…how…?" Vegeta said, looking at his hands.

Christine got up, looking at her brother as he lowered his sword. And she knew.

"He brought us back…he pulled us from the abyss…"

Goten stared along with Christine, and then everyone did.

And then everyone's eyes drawn to Agony.

She was still standing. Her outfit was unmarred.

The only thing that was different was the cut on her forehead.

And the look of sheer horror in her eyes.

Slowly, she raised up a hand and touched her fingers to the wound. They came away coated in her blood.

And Goten realized the wound wasn't healing. It stayed open, continuing to bleed.

Erik had hurt her.

"No…this can't be happening…" Agony whispered, his voice filled with fear It was like music to Vegeta's ears. The bitch was afraid.

"Oh, but it is, Agony. This is what my family ultimately granted to me…their love. A love I always had…but now I know I have. Love…the sweetest pain…the only kind you can't stand. This is what this blade is forged of, Agony. Not of metal, which does you no harm. Not of anger or of hate or of any of the darkness that lurks in the human heart, a darkness you suck down like the finest elixir. This is the love of a parents for a child…a sibling for another…a family's ultimate bond. This is your downfall, Agony. This blade is the Anti-Agony!"

"NO! THAT PIDDLING WEAPON CAN'T STOP ME!" Agony screamed as she threw up her hands. "I AM INVINCIBLE!"

And Agony thrust her hands forward, firing a huge blast at Erik.

Erik reared back his Redemption blade and smashed it aside. The blackness was repelled, flying off into the distance.

"Your father thought so too."

Agony lowered her hands.

And then she started to laugh.

"Oh, very impressive boy. You think you can beat me with that sword, the love of your family, huh? Oh, when I find them…I'm going to give them your head!"

Spike had regained his feet, amazed that one second he had been broken into pieces and the next he was back with no injuries. Indeed, all the wounds and fatigue of the Z Warriors and Legacy were gone as well. Erik's blade had healed them even as it restored them, counteracting all the damage Agony and her power had done to them.

However, it didn't keep the big rock from smacking Spike against the back. He squawked and fell over as Agony ripped something from a pile of shattered ground. Spike shook his head and looked as it flew over him.

It was Tormentor's body, along with his ruined axe. Agony stopped the corpse in front of her.

"Come fellow lover of pain. The boy wants to play, so you shall be my toy." Agony crooned, and jammed her hand into Tormentor's back. With a sickening snapping and ripping noise, she tore out his spine.

Tormentor's corpse then burst into flames and burned to ash as Agony floated the axe down to her other hand. With a laugh, she brought them together.

Black energy flowed over the two items, crackling and sizzling. A terrible smell filled the air.

Then the black energy began expanding outward and curved out at one end, and then it exploded outward.

It was a scythe, worthy of being carried by the Grim Reaper himself. It was nearly twice as big as Agony, as black as pitch, covered with barbs, spikes, and other tools of injury. The blade was nearly eight feet long, and seemed to constantly be dripping blood from its black metal teeth.

"You want to play with toys, boy? Well, here's mine…and you'll find yours…is just one last failing effort."

**__**

Yeah, and it's nowhere near as cool as me either…wait a minute, I'm supporting Agony! Bad Soulfire! Bad Soulfire!

Agony's eyes were drawn to the noise, and she growled in her throat as she saw all the Z Warriors, Legacy, and Buffy standing and watching. She had had their souls and Erik had torn them away from her, and it aggrivated her greatly. Well, she would fix that. Once she'd carved Erik into a million pieces.

Erik did not budge as Agony twirled her weapon a few times, testing it out. The blade had to weigh at least five hundred pounds itself, but Agony used the weapon like it was as heavy as a piece of paper.

"Didn't you see it, boy? When you returned? If you were too busy looking at me, let me fill you in. They were lying there, bruised, broken, bleeding, in a word, BEATEN! And together, they formed perhaps the strongest army in the history of any world! But they were no match for me…they never will be. It's time for you to learn, boy…the battlefield…will always be my home…my dominion…my kingdom. And boy, you are standing in MY YARD."

Erik slowly raised the sword, pointing it at Agony.

"Your yard…is in the middle of MY WORLD."

Agony growled and twisted the scythe around to fight, black lightning crackling on it. Erik prepared the Redemption blade, the glowing misty light suffusing it.

For a moment, the battlefield was silent.

__

"Just one…last fight…and I'll be history…"

Erik and Agony leapt forward and locked weapons with a crashing bang.

"I've got to help him!" Christine said, only to find herself being restrained by Ash and Goten.

"Stay back, Chris! Erik is the only one who can hurt her! This is his fight!"

Vegeta looked at Erik and Agony as they held weapons, each trying to win out. Oh, the irony. He had always prided himself on being the strongest, that love was for weakling and fools. Yet…as he always found out, the opponents who seemed invincible always went down to it. Agony was his greatest opponent…and Erik, who possessed perhaps a 1/10 of his might at his utter peak, had managed to do what he could not: wound her.

He wished he could be the one to destroy her…but fate was cruel. But this was a cruelty he could live with.

With a shriek, Agony slashed her weapon out and won the duel, throwing Erik backwards. Erik crashed against the rock face with a yell of pain.

"Is that the best you can do, boy? I will finish you off with my next blow!" Agony crowed, leaping skyward and slashing the scythe down.

Erik leapt to the side and Agony sliced the cliff completely in half. Erik flipped and charged forward, swinging the Redemption sword.

Agony brought her scythe up and blocked, and the two began slashing, parrying, and blocking as each of them tried to hit the other. The ground shuddered.

Erik ducked under Agony's slash as she slashed through a whole cliff face. Erik stabbed as her, but she dodged aside. Erik didn't have time to do any more moves as the cliff collasped on them and he had to leap away.

Agony dodged away as well, and leapt at Erik again, laughing. Erik brought his sword up and blocked Agony's scythe, thrusting it away. Agony staggered backwards, and Erik sliced at her. Her blade tangled around the chain of the necklace Agony had stolen from him.

"This is mine." Erik hissed, and yanked. The chain snapped and Erik held out his hand as it flew into it.

Agony growled as Erik brought the necklace to the hilt of his sword, and with a flash of light, the locket fused into it, the chain wrapping around the bottom of the blade as it turned a radiant gold colour again.

Agony slashed her scythe upward, but Erik flipped over her and kicked her in the back. Agony tried to turn and get her scythe up.

And then she screamed as Erik slashed out, cutting open a deep wound on her shoulder. She grabbed it as blood poured from between her fingers. She let loose with a snarl as the wound failed to close. She couldn't absorb the pain. And she didn't take any joy in it either. In fact, it was even worse then Pan's Masenko four years ago.

"That was for the Z Warriors." Erik snarled back.

Agony slashed out her scythe, throwing a huge cutting blade of black power. Erik leapt aside as Agony fired off more of her version of the Kienzen. The blades sliced through the rock, the Legacy had to dive for cover as one nearly cut though them.

"That was close." Brigh said.

"A little too close." Angie agreed.

"This battle seems rather tame."

"Yeah a little too tame."

Erik leapt up on a cliff face and then leapt forward, flipping through the air and slashing his sword down. Agony blocked it with her scythe, and the two went into another fury of slashes. The air rang with metallic shrieks, and a faint noise that sounded like souls screaming.

Erik finally thrust Agony's scythe upward and kicked her backwards. He slashed downward, but Agony spun and kicked Erik across the head, sending him flying into another cliff face. He leapt to his feet and leapt over the blast Agony fired at him. The cliff exploded as Erik slashed down at Agony.

Agony blocked with a smirk.

Which vanished when she saw that it was Erik's claws she had blocked.

Erik's blade tore a deep wound down her calf, and she screamed again and hopped back, trying, for the first time, to stand on a leg that was crippled.

"That was for the Legacy." Erik growled.

Agony shrieked, and twisting her head, she snapped her hair at him. Erik slashed at the strands with his sword and claws, trying to keep them away from him.

Then Agony severed her hair and slashed at Erik again.

Erik blocked and tried to duck.

Agony's scythe smashed through his metal hand, snapping off the talons and mangling the fingers. Erik growled as if he was injured and leapt away as Agony fired a black spear at him. Smiling, Agony looked at him as he was about to land and thrust her hand out. Black spikes of cutting rock lanced out from where Erik was heading.

His eyes widened.

Then he thrust his hand out and yelled as he fired a blast, throwing himself backwards. He twisted as his legs hit another rock face and then he thrust off it, lancing at Agony as she stood in shock.

Then she screamed again as the Redemption blade slashed through the air again, ripping a deep wound in her side. She clutched it as Erik landed and flipped over, looking at her.

"That was for Christine."

**__**

Oh dammit. By the time I get a dedication, Agony will be in so many pieces they'll be able to bury her in a matchbox! THIS IS PREJUDICE!

"Shut up Soulfire."

Agony brought her hand to her wounded side and stared at it, unable to believe the fact she was looking at her own blood.

"Heal. Damn you, HEAL!" Agony cursed, but underneath that curse was fear.

"Not this time, Agony. Xaxargas made you so that you could never fall down. Well, the time had come for you to learn that once you fall, you ain't getting back up."

Agony's eyes blazed.

"Damn you…DAMN YOU! I'LL RIP YOUR HEAD OFF!" Agony screamed, and leapt at Erik again, slashing her scythe.

But her anger was clouding her aim and judgement, and Erik dodged aside. Agony howled as Erik slashed a long cut along her forearm.  
"That was for my father!"

Another slash, ripping open the flesh on the top of Agony's right hand.

"My mother!"

A great slash that tore across the top of Agony's chest, ripping a wide swath of gore.

"My sisters!"

Agony staggered back, and Erik twisted the sword up and held it above his head.

"And this is for me."

And he slashed his sword down. Agony's head jerked twice as the blade slashed down and then sliced back up in a quick one-two motion.

Erik leapt back as Agony staggered, her mouth open in shock. She raised up her hand as she felt the two cuts Erik had made, starting at one end of her temple, cutting down to her chin, and then slicing back up to the other side of her temple.

A perfect V.

"Now who's marked?" Erik finished.

Agony took her hand away from the V Erik had cut into her face. Then black fire exploded in her eyes.

"EEERRRRRYAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHI'LLKILLYOUYOUMOTHERFUCKINGBASTARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Agony roared as she slashed her scythe up. Erik blocked, but Agony immediately attacked again, hitting Erik with a fury she had never used before.

Erik blocked another slash and then Agony smashed him with a punch, throwing him backwards. He landed as Agony leapt and slashed at him again. Erik tried to get his sword up.

There was a great clang and everyone cried out as Erik's sword went spiralling out of his hands, flying through the air and impaling itself in the rock.

"The sword!" Gohan said.

"NOW DIE BOY!" Agony said, and began to pummel Erik, keeping her scythe in check as she blasted Erik with punches and kicks. Erik tried to fight back, but Agony was too strong and utterly maddened. Her flesh peeled away from her fingers and she slashed her knife fingers out. Erik gasped as they seized on his throat, cutting into his flesh.

"Oh no, not this way boy. I'm going to burn the flesh from your miserable bones!" Agony hissed, her face full of anger and pain, pain she couldn't suck down.

And she threw Erik backwards, right through another cliff face. Erik crashed to the ground in a hail of shattered rock.

Growling, Agony pulled her scythe back out and brought it above her head as black power crackled to life on it, sizzling and burning.

"I can't be killed, Failure. These little knicks are nothing, NOTHING!" Agony raged. "Now…learn the true anguish of impossibility…and the full fury of the wrath of PATRICIA DELHART!"

And she thrust the scythe down and out. The air warped around her and then a massive bolt of power blasted from the scythe, as dark as night, as dark as Agony's soul.

Erik pullled himself to his feet, his outfit ripped and tattered, his body bleeding from a dozen wounds, as the bolt bore down on him. For a moment, he was again filled with despair.

"ERIK!"

Erik jerked his head as Goten flew up, holding the Redemption blade in his hands.

"CATCH!"

Goten tossed the blade through the air, hoping that his aim was true.

The earth seemed to stand still.

The blade slid into Erik's fingers, and Erik lifted the sword at the bolt bore down on him.

"YOU'RE NOT PATRICIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The impact nearly crushed him, as the blast struck the sword and began pushing against it. The shockwave of force threw all the Z Warriors and Legacy backwards again.

"AHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHA! DIEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!" Agony laughed.

Erik locked his legs and held his ground, feeling the sheer power bearing down on him.

__

"Here I stand against darkest night…"

The clouds above the battlefield thundered, and then rain began to pelt the battlefield. But this wasn't any ordinary rain.

"Dear kami, is it raining BLOOD?" Vegeta said, as he looked at the dark liquid splattered on his body.

"Yes! It is!" Goten said, looking at it in amazement. This was Agony's power, brought to earth on her fullest scale.

"Yummy!" Spike said, holding back his head with his mouth open. But he immediately lowered his head, spitting.

"It tastes like piss! Ye gods, poison!" Spike gasped.

Christine paid no attention to the blood soaking her body. Her eyes were on Erik as he held back Agony's ultimate blast with his Redemption sword, the misty white illumination holding back the terrible power.

__

"My blazing blade…the only light…"

Pain shot through Erik's body as more and more force was brought to bear on him. Agony licked her lips, and Erik could see her wounds start to close as she fed off his pain.

__

"My destiny is finally clear…"

"The invietable bites, doesn't it?" Agony smirked, and redoubled her efforts. Erik felt like all his bones were being crushed in a vice.

__

"But what final fate is drawing near…?"

"Won't give up…never…won't…break…"

A hundred miles away, every window in a city shattered.

Five hundred miles away, animals both in captivity and in the wild roared and cried as they sensed a final approaching doom.

All over the world, children woke up screaming.

__

"A final death, or the redemption that I crave…?"

Erik looked over, and his eyes fell on Christine as she stood, watching. Their eyes locked.

__

"Give me the strength to carry on…let me avenge all the fallen…"

Christine knew.

"They were my family too."

Christine thrust up her bladestaff and began to draw apon what she had left, all the strength she could give. 

Goten blinked as he tried to shield Marron from the rain, and then he understood.

"EVERYONE! FOCUS YOUR POWER ON THE BLADESTAFF!" Goten said, and held out his hand. A misty white light began flowing from it, flowing around the bladestaff.

Everyone held up their hands, and the same power flowed from them. The only one left out was Spike, who looked as the same power even came out of Buffy.

"Godammit, I'm always the odd man out."

The power wrapped around the staff.

Screaming in mad triumph, Agony prepared for the final shot that would annihalate Erik once and for all.

Christine's bladestaff transformed into a glowing golden arrow of power. The power flowed down her arm as she twirled the bladestaff and cocked back her arm.

"For all of us…our gift…Erik…this is our hand…NOW DIE YOU BITCH!"

And Christine hurled the bladestaff, firing it off like a bullet. The weapon lanced through the air, an arrow from an angel's bow, the spirits and goodness from the souls of heroes.

Agony's eyes widened.

"NO!"

Her scythe was shattered, blasted into pieces as the arrow smashed right through it. Her power exploded into nothingness as she reared back.

Erik was already running.

Agony reared back to see Erik raising the Redemption blade, swinging up, turning…

The sword plunged through her, piercing right through her heart and exploding out her back, dripping black blood.

Agony's mouth dropped open, and a small noise of surprise and utter disbelief came out, a sound as weak as a newborn baby. Her eyes were as wide open as her mouth, as she stared into Erik's face.

"I have spent…seemingly…my whole life…hating you…" Erik whispered. "All my visions, my dreams, my futures…they could never bloom, because I couldn't live with you still living. But now…I know the whole story. The truth. You never had a choice, Patricia. You were conceived in violence and evil, born in blood and baptized in hatred…raised in cruelty and tempered with the dark side of humanity. You never had a chance. Forces beyond your control made sure this happened…made sure you would never be able to stop this evil from ever being born. You did all you could…in the end, you were as strong as I ever was…stronger…"

Erik looked into Agony's eyes, hoping she could hear.

"I forgive you, Patricia Delhart. I only hope I can grant you peace."

And for a moment, the madness, the devouring lust, the evil, faded from Agony's eyes, and Erik found himself looking into a young woman's face…perhaps the young woman Patricia would have been if Xaxargas had not destined her for her cruel fate. The eyes were filled with grief…but also gratitude.

"Thank you." Patricia said.

And then she was gone, and Agony was back.

But just like Patricia Delhart, all those years ago, it was far far too late for her.

Light began to blaze from the wound, and Agony threw back her head and screamed. A scream of utter terror.

Light blazed from her back and front, bursting out from the wounds Erik had inflicted. It exploded from her eyes and mouth, burning away the black orbs of hate and the terrible mocking laugh as Agony screamed.

She had been shown the true face of fate.

The light began utterly blinding.

And then it exploded out, consuming everything. The Z Warriors, Legacy, Buffy and Spike were all thrown backwards, twisting through the brightness as it flowed everywhere.

The power exploded upward into the clouds, and then with a final shriek from Agony, it blasted outward, blowing away the darkness, leaving only the innocent darkness of the night sky.

Erik opened his eyes as the light finally faded, looking at Agony's body, now totally composed of ash, her mouth locked in her final death scream.

And then, her body bgena to break up, the ash crumpling and being blown away by a wind. Her arms, legs, and body crumbled as Erik stood, his sword still out and impaled through the ash.

The ash crumbled away from his sword, leaving only the head. It was the last to go, as the face Erik had hated his whole life finally vanished forever.

Agony was dead.

For a moment, Erik could only stare at where she had been.

Then blueish light exploded up from where her body had been. Erik stood as it swept over him…staring at all the strange dots of light that were now flying around him.

Erik could hear the laughter of many people, of men, of women, and of children, a thousand stranger's voices. They flowed around him.

And then Erik's eyes settled on four dots that were floating in front of him. For a brief moment, he saw his family standing in front of him.

"Well done Erik."

Erik heard his mother's voice speak in his head. He lowered his sword as he reached out a hand.

"No…don't go…"

"We have to, son. We have been freed…we do not know what awaits us, but we will go wherever it is with glad hearts. You have made us proud."

"Way ta go, big bro!"  
"Well done, brother…"

A dot flew by his eyes.

"Thank you…"

Erik gasped at Patricia's voice as it flew around him and then flew off into the sky. As it did, Erik heard one final cry of joy.

"Mommy! Mommy, mommy…"

The dots began to fly after Patricia, hundreds apon hundreds, all offering thanks.

"My son…we must part now…but we will always love you."

Erik sniffed.

"I know."

For a moment, Erik almost swore he felt a hand stroking his hair.

And then the dots were flying away, up into the sky. Erik watched them go as the blue light began to fade around him.

"Goodbye…my son…we will see you again…some day…until then…make a new dream…and by our blessing…be happy…goodbye…"

And then the dots were gone, as was the light. Erik looked off into the sky as one final tear trickled down his cheek.

"Goodbye…my family."

And then all the strength went out of him, and Erik fell to his knees, tired beyond belief. He held onto the Redemption blade as it lay on the earth, its job done. Erik stared at the ground.

__

So…this is victory…ultimate victory…but…I still feel…so empty…

CL-ICK.

The sound rang through Erik's ears, and he slowly looked up to see the gun pointing at him, held by Dr. Thanatos Vagane.

Vagane was an utter mess. His left arm was mangled beyond repair, his right leg was ruined, and the left side of his face was a burned, scarred mess. But he was alive, and he was pointing a gun at Erik's face.

"Oh ho ho. All that fighting, all those lightshows, all those heroics for nothing. The irony." Vagane chuckled.

Erik stared at the gun. Normally, he could have just grabbed it, especially with Vagane as wounded as he was (How did he survive his own daughter's blast?). But his body was utterly spent. He had no strength left at all.

"And so…we are back here…and once again, I am the master. I always was, Failure." Vagane chuckled.

Erik blinked.

"Go ahead, Vagane. I have done all I can do on this earth. I have nothing left to live for. But by all that I hold holy, I will never show you fear. Never again. You may kill me…but you will never rule me. You never did."

Vagane sighed.

"Ah Failure…together we could have done so much…instead, all I have are ashes of dying dreams…but that is more then you have. You have nothing. So, any last words?" Vagane smirked, and cocked the hammer back.

Then he screamed as twin blades burst from his chest. Erik's eyes widened as big as they could as Vagane was suddenly lifted off his feet by Celeste.

"Yeah. NEVER TURN YOUR BACK ON AN ENEMY!"

And then Celeste hurled Vagane away, his boyd tearing off her daggers after she had jammed them in his back and lifted him off the ground. His body crashed to the ground as his gun spiraled off into the distance.

Erik was utterly dumbstruck. Was he already dead? Was this heaven?

"Oh Erik." Celeste said, turning around and dropping her bloody daggers on the ground as she fell to her knees in front of Erik. "Are you ok?"

"………………….Celeste?"

"Yes Erik. It's me." Celeste said, smiling slightly.

Erik dared to blink. She was still there.

"But…you…I…how?"

"I don't know…the last thing I saw was your face…and then I was in some kind of void…just nothingness…and all I could do was float…and somehow sense that you were in trouble…trouble that grew worse and worse. But then…it was gone….and suddenly, there was another presense there with me…he told me how to come back. I didn't know who he was…but I somehow sensed he knew you…that he cared for you…and then I was waking up…and I just knew I had to save you, just like you saved me."

Erik blinked again.

__

By our blessing…be happy…

His family's final blessing.

"Celeste…"

"Erik…" Celeste said, putting a finger to his lips. "I won't be afraid any more. I love you. I always have…ever since I met you. You complete me…you…and only you…"

Erik looked into Celeste's eyes, the green shining as she offered her heart.

"Oh Celeste…I'm sorry…"

Celeste's heart sank. He was rejecting her. After all they had been through, he still couldn't…

Then Erik put his hand to the side of her head.

"I'm sorry…that I denied my feelings for so long…I'm sorry that I hurt you in my foolishness in trying to protect you…and I'm sorry I didn't do this a long long time ago…my raven…"

Their lips met.

Celeste closed her eyes at the soft touch. It was better then she had ever dreamed. She raisd her hands and tangled them in Erik's hair as she returned his kiss.

For an eternity, it was only them, finally coming together.

As fated.

A low chuckling finally broke through their bliss. Erik opened his eyes and took his lips from Celeste's as Vagane sat up.

"Oh, how very sweet." Vagane chuckled, kneeling as he tried to use his less injured arm to support himself.

"Vagane. You're harder to squash them a cockroach!" Erik growled, his fingers lowering from Celeste's face and seizing around the Redemption blade.

"Oh, don't bother getting up, Failure. Of all the things I know…if when I have lost. You have beaten me Failure…instead of becoming creation, I'm dying on this black rock…what a miracle you have been granted so this has come to pass. But even so, I can still laugh…laugh at you, Failure, and how futile it is."

Erik growled, and was somewhat shocked when Celeste growled at the same time. They looked at each other, and then back at Vagane.

"So, what do you plan to do, Failure? Take this woman as your soulmate? Marry and spawn tiny versions of yourself? Teach them all you know, so you can have a whole family of guardians to fight evil? You fool…what a waste! You can never win! For every one you strike down, ten more will rise up to take their place. Even though even I have fallen, someone will be along to replace me…maybe not in genius, but in drive, or in desire. No matter how many you strike down, Failure, there will always be more. That is why you are a fool. Your whole life is wasted already trying to do the impossible."

Erik kept his angry eyes on Vagane, not noticing Vagane's hand slowly moving towards his lower leg…at the one-shot pistol hidden in his ruined boot.

"I can do the impossible. That is humanity's gift, Vagane." Erik shot back.

Vagane chuckled again.

"Or so you think. You will learn the truth one day, Failure. All those you try to save…you can't do it. For every one you lift up another will be lost. My kind will always be there…squashing them like the insects they are. They can never save them all. You can never win, _Erik."_

Erik's eyes widened as Vagane finally spoke his name.

And then Vagane's hand was tearing his pistol out, swinging it up and aiming it right between Erik's eyes, his finger squeezing on the trigger as he screamed one final time.

"YOU CAN'T SAVE THEM ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The pistol exploded as a bullet blasted from it. Erik's eyes widened as it shot at him.

Then the hand came out of nowhere, clamping down on the bullet, stopping it as dead as Vagane had tried to make Erik.

Vagane's eyes widened.

And Erik stared at Goku, as he stood, as muscular and proud as he ever had been, his power finally restored to him by the death of Agony.

Vagane stared at his former servent, the man he thought would be the key to his ascent. Goku smirked at him, and dropped the crushed bullet on the ground. And then, just to show how mad he was at Vagane, he gave him the finger.

And then Erik was up, somehow finding one last burst of strength within him. He pulled the Redemption blade up as he charged at Vagane.

Vagane screamed.

Erik jammed the sword right through him, ripping through a heart as black as Agony's. The sword almost seemed to sing.

Vagane gurgled as blood exploded from his mouth, looking into Erik's furious eyes. History had come full circle, as he once had stood and looked at the ruined body of Erik as a child, looking in delight at the fear in him. Now his body was ruined, and Erik was the one standing.

"I…CAN…_TRY."_ Erik hissed.

Then he brought back his mechanical hand, the hand which Vagane had built, as dark power exploded on it.

"AND MY NAME IS **_VENGEANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"_**

Vagane screamed as Erik thrust his hand forward and let loose, and then the flesg peeled off his body before it was burnt to ash, as Vagane was sent tumbling into the same hell to join his daughter.

Erik yanked the sword up, looking at Goku.

"Goku."

"Erik…" Goku said, as Celeste got to her feet.

"Goku…you saved me."

"You saved me, Erik. You saved us all…thank you."

The Z Warriors, Legacy, and Buffy and Spike stood, looking at the scene.

"Did we win?" Yamcha said.

Erik blinked.

And then the Redemption blade began to dissolve. Goku's eyes widened.

"Erik…your sword…"

"It's ok…Goku. Its job is done for now. But it will always be a part of me…just like the darkness of my Angel of Death form, it too is redemption…if not for me, then those I protect. Light and darkness…in balance. Together…we have triumphed."

Erik looked over to Celeste.

"But…there is one thing still to finish."

Goku looked confused.

"What?"

Erik said nothing. Instead, he walked over to Celeste and swept her up into his arms, and their lips met once more.

Goku's eyes widened slightly, and then his face broke into a big goofy grin.

"ALL RIGHT! YOU'RE IN LOVE! YAHOO!" Goku whooped, and walked over and clamped both Erik and Celeste in a hug.

"ARGH! Goku, you're crushing us!" Erik gasped.

"Oh sorry. GUYS! WE WON!"

"We WON!" Bright whooped, and everyone began to celebrate. Old couples joined the new one in a kiss, and friends and family exchanged hugs, handshakes, and various other signs of celebration.

"I still wish I could have killed Agony." Vegeta grumped.

**__**

Eh, well, relax! You can spit on her corpse…wait, she turned to ash and then the wind blew her away…um, just spit anywhere! You'll probably hit some part of her!

Vegeta tried to resist it, but he grinned anyway.

"Shut up you stupid baka weapon…" Vegeta said, and then started to laugh. There was nothing like a victory to bring out his good side, as he grabbed Bra and swept her around, glad that his family was safe and sound.

The sun began to peak up over the horizon, and the world breathed a sigh of relief. Once again, it was safe.

"Oh great. He saves the day, kills the bad guys, and gets the girl. How appallingly Disney." Spike scoffed, as he watched Erik and Celeste kiss. "They ever have the sunrise backing them…wait a minute…AH! THE SUN!" Spike yelled, as he pulled his coat over his head.

"Ah, there, now I just have to…"

Buffy calmly reached over and lifted up the back of Spike's jacket. There was a sudden sizzling and woosh as the rays hit the hole in Spike's pants.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! MY BUM'S ON FIRE AGAIN! MY BUM'S ON FIRE AGAIN!" Spike yelled as he ran around. He finally found the shade of a big rock and crawled into there, cursing the Slayer.

Buffy just laughed.

"That felt SO good." She chuckled, and joined in the celebration. She still liked tp party and this was as good a time as any.

"Yay! Celeste is alive! Celeste is alive! I told you Dende!" Buu crowed, jumping up and down.

"Amazing…how?" Dende marveled.

"Such a strong soul…it can't be defeated that easily." Mr. Satan said, and then Pan was hugging him and he was returning it.

**__**

Hold it!

Everyone stopped.

"What?" Ash said.

**__**

Come on! With our track record, Goku is suddenly going to go evil again, or Riot and Bloodbath are gonna come back, or the Boogeyman is gonna show up, or something else!

"Oh can it! Nothing else is going to…"

Then some rock nearly began to move, and suddenly weapons were drawn and ki-charged hands were all aimed at it.

Then the rock tumbled away as Tring pushed his way out, and everyone relaxed.

"What were you doing there, brother?" Piccolo said, laughing.

"Hiding! Now if we won, can I go back to Namek? I miss the daily drudgery of my life." Tring groaned.

**__**

Look out! That's not Tring! That's, um, EVIL TRING!

"SHUT UP SOULFIRE!!!!!!!!!!" Everyone yelled at the sword.

**__**

Oh, why do I even bother…maybe I should go live with Nik Nak, she'd appreciate me…

"Live with who?" Ash said.

As the argument continued, Goten gave Marron another hug and then flew over to where his father was. He hugged him and then smiled as Erik and Celeste continued their kiss, their embrace never breaking.

"Ya know Dad, it's not that hard playing Cupid."

Goku smiled.

And then Erik broke away from the kiss and glanced over at Goten. Goten smiled and gave him a thumbs up.

"We won Erik!"

Erik smirked, and held out his hand in a classic peace sign. 

V for Victory.

__

There's a time…when the moon...reveals its place in the clouds…

I let out a sigh, and want to cry out loud…

But deep in my heart, I feel love so alive…

In the depths of my soul I know I will survive…

I'm the one…they would break, in their greed and their pride…

But deep in my heart, I feel love so alive…

In the depths of my soul I know I will survive…

To be Concluded!

Editor's Note: See Paladone? Sucker for a happy ending. But not before I drag everyone through hell first.


	11. Unchallenged Kings

Epilogue: Unchallenged Kings

__

"There is a shining tower alone on the sea…you became the light on the dark side of me…"

Seal, "Kiss from a Rose (On The Grave)"

"The world is not enough…but it is such a perfect place to start my love…and if you're strong enough, together we can take the world apart, my love…"

Garbage, "The World is Not Enough"

"How's it going, Bulma?"

"I'm aligning and focussing the power now, just give me a few more minutes." Bulma said as she worked at the computer. Erik looked away from her at the assembled group.

"Well my friends…we must part again. We have our own worlds to protect…our own lives to live…so I suggest you say your goodbyes now."

Everyone nodded and began doing so. Erik walked over to Goku and his family.

"You'll be ok?"

"Dende and Tring will fix everything with the Dragon Balls…all those who died will be brought back, including our friends…I'm sure we can fix the damage too…Erik, will _you_ be ok?"

Erik glanced over to Celeste, who was saying goodbye to Buu. Buu was nearly crushing her with his hug. He smirked slightly.

"I don't know…but I have hope…for the first time, in a long time." Erik said, and shook Goku's hand. 

"Thank you for saving my life."

"Thank you for saving ours…I'm just glad this time you don't have to sacrifice its peace again." Goku said.

"Peace will invietably give way to war…it is the nature of humanity and society…but that won't stop me from trying to prevent it. That was always my belief." Erik said, and turned to Gohan and Goten. He smiled slightly.

It was nice to see Erik smile, Goten thought. It fit him.

"Thank you for believing in something even I didn't believe in…you were the key to it." Erik said. "But I'm sorry…your wives…"

"I know Erik…but like you said, Marron is strong. I know this will hurt her…but I also know she will recover…I'll do everything I can to help her…we can always…try again. We'll be fine, I know it."

"Videl will be the same. Don't burden your soul with what happened. The important thing is, they're all right…and what was done to them…was destroyed." Gohan added.

Erik sighed and shook Goten and Gohan's hands. He shook Pan and Chi Chi's as well, before heading over to Bulma.

"Ok, I'm going to open it!" Bulma said, and tapped a few final keys.

The Gateway opened with a sizzling cracking and a smell of ozone. Erik stared at it briefly and then pointed at two people.

"Set theirs first."

Bulma did so as Erik walked over to Spike.

Spike did not look good. His hands and feet were bound with complicated metal restraits that pretty much imobilized him, and he was ragged and tired from being locked up for several days. He glared at Erik.

"Now…what to do with you…you tried to kill us…you tried to kill _Celeste…_hmmm, what to do indeed…"

"Oh just stake me and get it over with! I'm sick of you and your gloating!" Spike growled.

"I've got dibs." Buffy added.

"No…he did help us against Agony…even if it was just to save his own skin…hmmmmm…I wonder…" Erik said, with a pondering look.

"Bloody hell…" Spike muttered, feeling utterly humilated.

"Spike…I know what you are going to get…you are going to get something that I have granted to very very few…mercy."

Buffy's eyes widened in surprise, along with Spike's. Erik pressed a button on his arm and the restraints loosened with a clank. Spike pulled them off with relish.

"Well, thank you mate."

Erik smirked and turned around.

"BUT THAT WAS A BLOODY MISTAKE!" Spike yelled as he launched himself at Erik's back, maddened by the grief the man had caused him.

Erik stopped as Spike's face contorted and his fangs plunged at Erik's neck.

Then Spike reared back with a scream, holding his head as if he had the mother of all migraines. Erik smirked and turned back to Spike.

"Oh yes, one thing I failed to mention." Erik said. "You know how Vagane said he removed the chip? He lied. He just deactivated it. That lovely jolt of electricity you got in that machine was enough to turn it back on."

"What…bloody no…but I hurt…"

"Agony. Who was as demonic as they come. And this gives me much more pleasure then killing you, Spike. Knowing you have to live deprived of all your greatest pleasures, of being unable to do anything but get smacked around with anything that has the slightest touch of innocence. That, and if Buffy wants to beat you up, you get beat up. That's much better, wouldn't you say Buffy?" 

"I like your thinking, Erik." Buffy said, smirking herself. Erik returned and patted Spike's cheek.

"Go home William. And be miserable."

Spike growled loudly at Erik, but he knew he was beaten. He swept up his coat and headed for the Gateway.

"Oh, wait!"

Spike stopped and turned around as Erik headed over to where Bulma was sitting. He pressed a few buttons.

"Erik, what are you doing?"

"Resetting the last few coordinates. Just for a bonus on where he ends up when he gets back home."

"Oh great, where is that?" Spike groaned to himself. Erik heard him though, and looked over.

"I don't know, I picked them at random."

Spike's eyes widened.

"At RANDOM? But mate, I could wind up inside a volcano, or at the bottom of the bloody English Channel, or 10,000 feet up in the sky, or…!"  
"I know. What fun." Erik said, and then suddenly he was in front of Spike. "See ya!"

And Erik shoved Spike backwards into the Gateway.

"BLOODY HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Spike yelled, and then he was gone.

"Set it back to the previous coordinates, Bulma." Erik said.

"I assume that's my train." Buffy said, as she walked forward.

"Hey Buffy, once again, thanks." Erik said. "This wasn't your fight, but you came any way. You got beat up and even killed…"

"Again."

"Again?"

"Long story. The end result is, it didn't stick. That's a good thing." Buffy said, smiling slightly.

"Heh. Well…even so, for your help, we'd like to give you a little something."

Erik gestured and Chaozu tossed him a small bag. Erik handed it to Buffy.

"What are these?" Buffy said, looking in the bag. "Damn, I hoped they were credit cards."

"They're Senzu beans. I think you know what they do. I know as the Slayer, you have a special talent for healing quicker…but they could come in handy if you, heaven forbid, get your spine snapped or something…or if one of your friends does."

Buffy smiled and shook Erik's hand.

"You're a good guy Erik. I'm glad I met you."

"Same here Mrs. Summers. Have a safe trip back. You should come back about five minutes after you left."

"Oh yay, I have to go back to patrolling, can't you send me back a few hours later or something?" Buffy pouted.

"No."

"Oh well, I tried. See you guys!" Buffy said, waving as she headed for the Gateway. The Z Warriors and Legacy waved goodbye.

"Oh, and I want an invitation to the wedding!" Buffy said, and then she walked into the rip and was gone.

There were some snickers, as Erik blushed slightly. Pushing it away, he turned back to Bulma.

"I'm on it Erik."

"I see. Well…this is goodbye…for now any way. You never know what the future may hold."

The Legacy and Z Warriors exchanged one final set of goodbyes as Bulma re-set the coordinates for Erik's world.

"It's set Erik."

**__**

Wait, a new disaster may still happen! AH! I THINK I SEE TETSUO!

Everyone inhaled.

**__**

I know, I know, shut up Soulfire.

One by one, the Legacy members walked through the portal back to their world, each giving their own goodbyes. Finally, the only ones left were Erik and Celeste.

Erik smiled one last time as Celeste walked to his side.

"One last thank you…for all of you. I dragged you…"

"Erik, can the blame game, ok? We're all alive, and you finally have a future. We did it for each other. We are both blessed, not cursed, no matter what happened. Go home. Be happy."

Celeste smiled.

"Thank you all."

Erik and Celeste took each other's hands, and then they turned. As they walked forward, they gave one final wave.

And then they were gone.

Bulma pressed a button, and with one final sizzle the Gateway closed.

For a moment, there was silence.

"Well, now what?" Yamcha asked.

"As mentioned, Dende's gathering the Dragonballs as we speak. I also told Tring to get Namek's on hand, after he rebuilt them. They should be unable to undo all the damage Vagane and Agony did." Piccolo said. He was glad the whole thing was over. He couldn't wait to go to his favorite waterfall and meditate for a few days.

"What about the world population? Everyone's still screaming and pointing fingers on who allegedly did all the damage Vagane did." Trunks said.

"I think…we should have them forget."

Everyone looked at Goku. He shrugged.

"We can handle the truth…but most would never accept it. I suggest we use the Dragonballs and make them forget…like with Buu."

"I agree with Goku. Let ignorance be bliss." Vegeta said.

Everyone stared at Vegeta.

"What?"

"You called me Goku."

Vegeta suddenly sweatdropped.

"I did? Dear kami, I must have been hit too many times!"

"Ah Vegeta, I knew I would eventually grow on you." Goku said, smiling the traditional Son grin.

"YOU'LL NEVER GROW ON ME KAKAROTT! THAT REMINDS ME, I HAVE TO PUMMEL YOU BRUTALLY FOR ALL THOSE BEATINGS YOU GAVE ME, UNDER VAGANE'S CONTROL OF NOT!" Vegeta roared.

"I love you too Vegeta."

"BAKA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"WAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Spike yelled as he fell out of the rip.

His landing was nowhere near as bad as he thought, as he landed in soft mud.

"Ow….hey, that wasn't so bad." Spike said.

Then with a roar of its horn, a 18-wheeler drove by and sprayed up a torrent of mud, drenching Spike.

"Then again…" Spike muttered, spitting. He got to his feet and cleaned himself off as best he could. Spying a sign, he walked over and read it.

"Nowwherevile…Hicktown…ah here we are…Sunnydale, 857 MILES!!?!?!?!?!? BLOODY HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Spike cursed. Sighing, he walked to the side of the road and began walking backwards, holding his thumb out.

"Sigh. Well, it could be worse. But I will have my revenge yet, Betty! And that is not a promise, that is a CURSE!"

A car drove by Spike, paying him no mind. Spike sighed. This could take a while.

"99 bootles of blood on the wall, 99 bottles of blood! If one fell, bloody hell, 98 bottles of blood on the wall! 98 bottles of blood on the wall, 98 bottles of blood…"

Buffy stepped out in the graveyard where she had left with Christine an eternity ago. She turned around as the rip vanished.

"Ah, Sunnydale…"

With a roar, a vampire leapt up from behind the tombstone he had been hiding behind and charged at Buffy.

He ran right into Buffy's fist as she jerked her hand up in a backhand. As the vampire reeled, she spun and jammed a stake in his chest. He snarled and then exploded into dust.

Buffy smiled.

"It's good to be home."

It had taken some time, but eventually the Z Warriors and their friends and family had managed to get back together. Chi Chi and the finest cooks Bulma could hire had ensured there was plenty of good food at a celebration that seemed to have no reason and yet the greatest one: to be alive and to be happy. Such simple things…and yet they sometimes seemed impossible to obtain.

Their respective wives sighed as Vegeta and Goku raced to see who could eat the most. Gohan was having a discussion with the few people who could understand the complex arguments he was spinning. The young ones were fooling around, and generally, a good time was being had by all. Even Piccolo, who floated off in a corner, sipping water from a fancy glass, seemed content.

Finally, Gohan stood and got everyone attention with the classic tapping on the wine glass.

"I would like to propose a few toasts. Would anyone like to start?"

"Yes, let us toast to my incredible power!" Vegeta said, standing up with a broad swagger. There was scattered laughter.

"I'M SERIOUS!" Vegeta roared, although it was clear he was trying hard not to laugh too.

"Fine, let us toast Vegeta's incredible, mind-blowing, beyond comprehension, piss him off and he'll crush your head power." Gohan laughed.

"At last I get the respect I deserve…GAH! I GOT IT FROM KAKAROTT'S HALFBREED SON! I FEEL DIRTY!" Vegeta laughed, and everyone drunk.

"Let's do one for us!"

"For us!"

"For bunny rabbits!"

"Master Roshi, I think you've had too much…"

"Let's do one for Erik and Celeste." Goku said. There were various "here-here's".

"Well Dad, since you suggested it, you do it." Gohan said. Goku suddenly sweatdropped.

"Eh heh…I'm lousy at speeches…" Goku said, as he tried to think.

The words came to him.

"To Erik and Celeste…and how their eternal song of war finally became a song of love!"

"Yeah!" went the assembled group, and they drank.

"And now, we have something else…Goten, if you would…?" Gohan said.

Goten smirked as he pulled out his guitar and began to strum it.

"I've paid my dues…time after time…I've done my sentence…but commited no crime…" Goten sang.

"And bad mistakes…I've made a few…" Trunks added his voice to Goten's.

"I've had my share of sand kicked my face, but I've come through!!!!" added another half a dozen voices. "And I need to go on and on and on and on…"

And then everyone was singing, even Vegeta and Piccolo. How they all knew the words or why some were doing it didn't matter. There were many songs in life…and right now, a song of victory just seemed right.

"WE are the champions…my friend. And we'll keep on fighting…till the end…"

"We are the champions…" Mr. Satan and Buu sang.

"WE are the champions…" sang all the humans.

"No time for losing…" sang everyone. 

"BECAUSE WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS…OF THE WORLD!"

Unlike the loud, boisterous noises of the party, the other area was as quiet as could be, save for the occasional breeze. It was early evening and there was no light save the stars.

The area was composed of only two manmade structures. A small iron fence surrounded a small area. It looked simple, but the fence hide incredible technology that ensured that nothing would damage what it surrounded.

The second thing was four graves.

They stood there, neat and clean as if they had been tidied an hour ago. There were no dead leaves, twigs, or any debris on them.

Between the four graves, carved to perfection, was a small angel statue. It stood, an eternal guardian, one small hand out.

The air was silent.

Then Erik walked from the shadows, looking down on the graves with sad eyes. In his hand he held four white roses. Slowly, he laid one on each grave, solemnly and with respect. Finally, he stood and walked towards the angel statue. He lowered his head.

"Well…Dad…Mom…Tam…"Booger"" Erik said, smirking a bit at the nickname he'd given his youngest sister. "I know you can hear me…I just wanted you to know…that I'll always remember you…and my vow…as long as I live. I will protect the innocent…the Pure…but now I will do it for them, not you. I have avenged you…and you have saved me. Thank you." 

Slowly, Erik opened his metal hand, and at that time the moon came out from behind a cloud. Silver beams of light shone off the locket.

"…I don't need this any more…I'll always have you with me, no matter what." Erik said, draping the necklace on the angel's outstretched hand. "Thank you…and goodbye."

Wiping away a tear, Erik turned and walked back to Celeste. She had stood, watching. Erik had never brought anyone here, not even Christine. It was a place only he had known about. But he had insisted she come. He knew they would want to see the future they had wanted for him.

"They were good people." Celeste said.

"Celeste…once my dream was only to avenge them…that and only that…I thought I had no fate but to shoulder cruelty even as inflicted it…and I would have gone on forever that way…but you…you changed everything."

Erik leaned down, and Celeste rose to meet him as they kissed. Although he never saw it, for a moment the stone lips of the angel moved upward in a smile, and then resumed its position for the rest of its time.

Erik broke the kiss, staring into Celeste's eyes.

"Thank you for giving me a new dream…Raven."

They kissed again, longer, fuller. Eventually, they broke as the moon began to slip behind another cloud.

"So what now?" Celeste said.

Erik turned away from her, lookingt into the darkness.

"The dark…they come out in the dark…looking for prey…" Erik said, and looked back to Celeste. Celeste smiled.

"Let's show them what it truly means to be a hunter, my love."

And then the two were gone, vanishing into the darkness. For a moment, all that was left were their two shadows, and they they blended together, forming one shadow before the moonlight vanished just like they had.

There was no light in the ruined rock either as pebbles began falling from a section of shattered mountain.

Then the hand burst out, clawing at the air, and then a whole sheath of rock fell away as Riot shoved himself up and out. His torn bloody fingers were already healing.

"Brother…" Bloodbath whispered, and Riot reached down and pulled his sister up. She was too weak to dig any more, and he had been forced to dig for her. But he had made it out of the avalanche they had been buried in from the spasms of the Gateway.

Riot shook, his legs unsteady. He had barely made it. Had he been human, he would have been dead, without question.

But he was not human. But even so, he had barely managed to hold on, trying his best to keep his body together enough as the Gateway collasped as he and Bloodbath tumbled through it, tearing them both to atoms.

They had made it by the skin of the teeth, the Gateway finally collasping as their ruined, torn apart bodies exploded out the other side of the Gateway, half a second after they were clear. But the destruction of the Gateway was not without consequence, as the resulting explosion had shattered half the mountain and buried him and his siter under untold tons of rock.

And even since then, he had been digging, ignoring the lose of his god-like powers. He may no longer have them, but he could still feed off pain, and he was determained to dig his way out, to find a way back to his mother and prove he was worthy of being her son.

He didn't realize it until he was out, all his efforts focussed on escaping.

"Brother…"Bloodbath moaned, as twin tears trickled from her cheeks. "Please…tell me what I'm feeling is a lie."

But Riot had no comforting words for his sister, for he felt the loss too. It was impossible…but he knew it was right.

"Mother's…dead." Riot said, not able to believe it. "And…Father is too."

"No…it can't be…how…they were invincible…" Bloodbath cried, mourning the lose of her parents. 

Riot lowered his head. It couldn't be…and yet it was. The link was gone because there was no one left to link to.

But how…

The Failure.

Riot raised his head. It had to be. Somehow…by some miracle beyond all miracles…the Failure had murdered his mother and father.

Riot clenched his teeth. Yes, he knew it was true. This had to be the Failure's world. He could smell the stench of him.

"Brother…what are we going to do…?" Bloodbath said, somehow knowing what her brother felt and knew.

Riot gave no answer, grinding his teeth. He could almost feel his weakness bleeding away, like the truth had been a great wound.

He had meant to prove himself worthy of his mother's love…now the Failure had taken that away from him.

But he still had her gift. Father had given them power, power their mother had taken because she felt it had been unworthy of them. But Riot was still Agony's son…and he possessed all she had.

He would use that. He would find a power as great as the one he had had, greater, beyond all belief, and then he would destroy the Failure for his crimes.

He and his sister would have their veageance.

His eues blazing with black energy, Riot threw back his head and screamed to the night.

"ERIK! I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THEIR SOMEWHERE! I WILL FIND YOU, YOU AND ALL YOU CARE FOR, AND WHEN I DO, BELIEVE ME, **I WILL SPARE _NO PAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"_**

The future that heads towards us is forever to be clouded…

But…at last I can sense it with a sense of hope…

For if even Agony…the Herald of Destruction, had a shard of human's light inside her…then there must be hope for anything…

But…above all else…I will never doubt my role again…

I Am Vengeance.

The End…_For Now_

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And so…it finally comes to an end.

This was my Magnum Opus, Atrocities. All 351 pages, 261, 256 words of it. What was originally going to be a simple sequel has become my greatest work, a DBZ Crossover novel that's in Tom Clancy territory for a word count. For these five months, I have thought of little else, and spent countless hours working on it, in writing or running ideas through for it. There may be many flaws in some cases, but I feel none has detracted from this story I want to tell. You wanted a worthy sequel to a story most called the greatest DBZ work you ever read, and I wanted to try my best to give it to you.

I hope I have succeeded. I feel I have.

But all good things must come to an end. And I am afraid I must end this with something some will consider bad news.

I am going to retire.

For over a year, I have written little else then DBZ fanfiction. And while I have written many good things, and made many friends, in the end, this is fanfiction. It is a good tempering tool…but in terms of writing for a living, in the most cynical sense, it is a "waste of time". If I ever want to do Steve proud…I must write wholly original works.

HOWEVER…I am NOT quitting.

However, my work scale will be greatly reduced. After doing a much-requested Outtakes for this, I may not write anything for a while…perhaps forever. It has been fun…but I must move on.

My web site is [_www.angelfire.com/de/Legacy_][1]. Hopefully I will be able to update it now that this is finished. I hope some of you will come. Then you can laugh at my crappy early works and read how dumb my earliest story ideas were when I was starting my writing 11 years ago when I was nine.

I would like to thank everyone who ever gave me a line or a scene when I was stuck, to people who gave me ideas. I would like to thank those who let me make fun of them in this work, especially my long suffering friend nahognos. Expect his revenge soon.

Now…I must go on…down the road…going wherever fate will take me…

Oh who am I kidding. I'll never be able to keep away. I'll probably be back within a week.

It's been fun guys. I hope I'll be back, and soon.

Eric "Ash The Wanderer" Mersereau.

__

"Every story is a great story until it begins."

   [1]: http://www.angelfire.com/de/Legacy



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